HN 



A°« 






r ^ 









* ~ ^ .o 



*> * 



v*'* 






%,#' w 



V 






• \ 



,/ >■ 



aO 



'© r- 










-0' 



V c 



= 



r O 



**' 




\» * * * ° / c- 














V 




X /' •'« %.# • * -* 















r^- = 






* .6* 



W 
♦*** 



/c»-«. 1 



Joseph Yea 

BY DAVID R. MOSHER 



a 




"^ 



PRICE 50 CENTS 






"nSt ^Br S5^ ^fir ^jr ^jr ^8^ -| ^ S5^ ^^r" 






JOSEPH YEAD; 

OR, 

THE STORY OF THE BEAST 

THAT WAS, IS NOT, 

AND YET IS. 



BY 



DAVID R. MOSHER. 



PUBLISHED BY 

DAVID R. MOSHER, 

GUTHRIE, OKT.A. 



% 









BY VRAWSFfR. 

MAY 21 < 

COPYRIGHT BY 

DAVID R. MOSHER, 

1907 







JOSEPH YEAD 

As He Appeared on the Trail. 



BY TRANSFER 

WAV 2 i 



PREFACE. 

The author of these pages feels that there is no necessity 
for making an apology for the same to the reading public. 

I am aware that readers of this book, as do those of other 
books, will either approve or condemn, according as their 
minds lead them to view things, and I would admonish all to 
read what I have to say with care and then condemn or ap- 
prove as merit or demerit deserves. 

To those who will approve, and are friends — for I am 
sure the work will have some friends — I will say that a short 
word of approval would be appreciated as a pearl of great 
price. And if you believe I have found the KEY that will 
unlock and open the prison door of poverty and servitude, that 
the suffering captives may go free, tell your friends about it 
and form clubs for further investigation, for Paul says: 
"Prove all things, and hold fast that which is good." 

To readers who will be disposed to pass adverse criticism 
upon the book I will say, in kindness, Christ is the only per- 
son of whom we have record who was condemned and cruci- 
fied in the face of a verdict of "Not guilty," for His judges 
said : "We find no fault in Him ; take Him and crucify Him !" 
So I would beg of you to not crucify this little book until you 
have shown for what you condemn it, for it necessarily follows 
that if a man is wise enough to say with certainty that the cor- 
poration described in these pages is not what John the Kevela- 
tor saw and so minutely described, then that man should be 
wise enough to point out the reason why with equal certainty, 
and be able to tell what it was John did see and describe. He 
should be able to furnish at least as much evidence to prove 
his position as is furnished to prove that which he condemns. 

To Christians who read my little offering I will say : Bead 
the book again and tell me where I may find a book that has 



stronger proof that the Bible is true, so that I may procure it 
and read. 

To any Atheist who may read these lines, I will say : 
I beg your pardon, Sir ! for I am sure if you do not like the 
book you will write an answer. 

To all readers collectively, I will say that I have not 
always quoted the exact words of texts in Scripture — that is, 
verbatim et literatim- — but have expressed the sentiment in 
some places and given the exact words in others. 

With best wishes and love to all mankind, I beg to remain, 
Yours very respectfully, 

D. E. Mosher, 

Guthrie, Okla. 



INTRODUCTION. 

There is no man living, endowed with ordinary intelli- 
gence, who does not recognize the fact that we are in the pres- 
ence of an irresistible force. We are also conscious of the 
immutability of that force. 

The sun, the moon and the planets revolve in their re- 
spective orbits, and have continued to do so for six thousand 
years of which we have record, and how many more we do 
not know. 

When we are asked, or should we ask ourselves, what force 
keeps all these planets in place the answer comes to us, per- 
haps, in different expressions, such as God, Nature, specific 
gravitation, or an acknowledgment that we do not know. 
But all must agree that it is an irresistible force, no matter 
what name we apply to it, and we see that no matter how 
many times we change the name the force itself never changes. 
We may call it Nature, God, or we may use two O's instead 
of one and call it Good, yet there is no change. If we will 
but read ancient writings, or the Bible, we will notice that 
human beings there viewed the great phenomena as we view 
them today. They said God, Good, or Nature, always was. So 
say we. They said God, Good, or Nature never changes, and 
we say 'tis true. The ancients said that God rules the uni- 
verse, and we say yes, Nature, Good, or you may call it God if 
you will, but whatever name you wish to apply, the same irre- 
sistible force rules the universe. 

The Bible says God is good, and we must admit that IT 
is good, for from, and because of, that irresistible force, we 
are always in the presence of, which is variously named God, 
Good and Nature, we derive all the blessings that we enjoy. 
That force brings the rain and the sunshine ; that force quick- 
ens all life in the vegetable and animal kingdoms, from 



whence we draw the supplies which sustain our lives. That 
same Nature, or force, leads the water from the sea back up 
the hill, in spite of the law of gravitation, from which it again 
descends, a purified liquid, to refresh mankind as well as the 
beasts of the field and all vegetable life. 

Yet men ask that foolish question, "If God made the 
world, who made God ?" I say foolish question for the reason 
one had as well ask, How can there be an end of space ? And 
yet how can there be anything without end or an extreme 
limit beyond which it does not exist? Again, we had as well 
ask if Time had a beginning or if it will have an end. It is 
foolish in the extreme to ask the human mind to answer ques- 
tions that are infinite, because the mind being finite can not 
discern the infinite. 

There are questions enough for us to answer, that are 
within our capabilities, to keep us busy for our short lifetime. 
Therefore, I for one am content to confine my inquiries within 
the bounds of my discerning power. Hence, when I see that 
what I please to call God furnishes all living things with food 
and clothing (for the birds and beasts are furnished with 
clothing of either hair or feathers, according to their needs) 
I can not avoid the conclusion that Nature or God is an intelli- 
gent Action, State, or Being. And again, when I see that 
God has never failed to provide the usual and necessary sup- 
ply for man and beast, through the endless chain of fixed laws, 
it would demand a greater imagination on my part to conclude 
that all this harmony came from chance than it would to be- 
lieve in an intelligent direction of things. 

We see that we must study the plans of Nature, which is 
absolutely honest and always the same, in order that we may 
assist Nature or God in bringing about a full measure of bless- 
ings. We see that the capabilities of the earth, through the 
laws of Nature, or God, are augmented by educating our 
young men and women in schools of agriculture, where they 
are taught to observe more closely the fixed laws of Nature 
(God), for they study the plans of God and put the same into 
operation, and thus we have a place to fill in God's plan. 

If we did not plant corn, would we reap a harvest of 
corn? The answer is obvious, for we know full well that the 
wind would sow the seeds of noxious weeds. And the plan of 
God being that the earth must bring forth from seed accord- 



ing to the kind committed to its care, if man wishes to reap 
the kind that is good for his food he must do his part for God 
made the plan and it is up to man to use it. 

When the writer became fully convinced that God had 
provided a perfect plan for man — not certain individuals, but 
man in the broad sense — and that that plan left a duty for 
man to perform, and when I saw that success depended on the 
man, I realized the grandeur of God's nature and saw why he 
made the strongest beast subservient to man, for it at once 
appeared to me that God intended man to use his faculties to 
plan the work and direct the beast with his strength to per- 
form the labor or supply the motive power. And I at once 
saw that at least in some slight degree man was as God, for 
God made his plans and left man to do likewise and to find out 
God's plans as well. Again we see that as we grew in numbers 
and scattered over a larger area, it became necessary to have 
greater power than the services of beasts, that the needs of 
man could be supplied. Therefore, God inspired man so that 
he discovered the power God had placed in steam and electric- 
ity and taught man to harness it for his service, and we are all 
made to cry out that is GOD !, Good, or Nature — that irresist- 
ible force in whose presence we all stand, which is the ever-liv- 
ing and true God. 

Now, Dear Eeader, if you have followed me thus far I 
am sure you can follow me until I have finished what little 
more I have to say. For I must say, with Joseph Yead, I 
have no plan. But there is no power of reasoning that would 
convince me that God, who has put in operation the perfect 
harmony we find in this universe, could not and did not com- 
plete His work and so left us to be slaves of each other. His 
Earth is perfect harmony, He supplies the means to attain 
every good, but we must seek the means. For He says, "Seek 
and ye shall find ; ask and ye shall receive ; knock and it shall 
be opened unto you/' Moses and the Prophets were inspired 
as law givers, others to discover God's way of fashioning har- 
ness to the ox and the horse ; Watt, to harness steam ; Edison, 
to develop the power of electricity, and Joseph Yead was 
shown the way to Freedom and the Brotherhood of Man. 

Thomas Lawson says he has a plan, and I doubt not he 
has, for there are many ways to produce power and they are 
easily found because so numerous. So if Lawson has a plan 



he showed that he possessed wisdom as well, for though he had 
a perfect plan, had he given it to the world at once, before 
the people were ready to receive it, failure must be the result. 

But let come and go what will, Dear Eeader, remember 
this fact : There is a way, and that way is God's way, and it 
is as perfect as the Laws of Nature are perfect. I am thor- 
oughly convinced that God reveals to men the existence of ele- 
ments and the power for service they possess, and then in turn 
reveals the plan to utilize their power for the assistance of 
humanity. I assign as a reason for my belief the following: 
We have convincing evidence that men have discovered an 
elementary principle and have worked for years trying to per- 
fect a plan to control, and to utilize that principle without 
success, and were almost despairing, when the idea that 
proved to be the right one, in many instances, came to them 
in their sleep. We have uncontrovertible evidence to prove 
that train wrecks and other disastrous calamities have been 
averted by reason of presentiments and dreams. Therefore, 
if supernatural influence controls the mind in all these things, 
would it not be foolish in the extreme to say that it does not 
and can not control in the ethical lives of humanity ? 

I tell you, Dear Eeader, there is a plan, and a principle 
to work that plan, and when we are ready to apply ourselves 
to the research we can all find it, for it is universal, as all of 
God's works are universal, and it is perfect, as all other plans 
of God are harmonious and perfect. When the seed is planted 
in the mind it is quickened, as the dry and inactive kernel of 
corn is quickened when planting in Mother Earth, for God has 
fashioned the brain of man to bring forth and develop the 
seeds of discovery that are committed to its care, and he has 
fashioned the Earth to bring forth and develop the seed of 
vegetation, and to furnish a workshop for man and a home 
for beasts. 

The Author. 



CHAPTEE I. 

"Thanks to good Providence, I am once more in God's 
country/' was my mental exclamation as I climbed down 
from a Denver and Eio Grande train at the union depot at 
Denver, after an absence from civilization of over three years. 

The brilliantly lighted streets and depot seemed to have 
a bewildering effect on me as I stood for some minutes watch- 
ing the throngs of people passing to and fro from the trains. 

I had not experienced the luxury of pressing a feather 
pillow or a cotton-top mattress spread with sheets for so many 
months that I was at a loss to know how to proceed to procure 
for myself these much-coveted luxuries. My personal appear- 
ance was so unspeakably to the bad that I was afraid to move 
lest some of the most weakened portions of my wearing ap- 
parel would give way, and by so doing place me in a very 
embarrassing position to say the least, even if I should escape 
the vigilance of the police who were not liable to censure if 
they took me to the city lock-up as a vagrant; for at that 
moment I was in sore need of a barber and haberdasher. 

As I was debating in my mind which I should call on 
first, the barber or the clothier, I heard my name spoken and 
realized that someone had penetrated my seeming disguise 
and recognized me. In a moment I was all action and began 
pushing my way through the throng of people, who seemed 
willing to give me all the room they could spare if by so doing 
they could avoid personal contact with what must have 
seemed to them a wild man of the mountains. 

I was anxious to avoid meeting anyone with whom I was 
acquainted until I had interviewed the man with the razor, 
comb and brush and then the fellow with the hand-me-down 
clothes to sell, after which I should be pleased to renew ac- 
quaintance with anyone who might come along; for I was 
hungering for news from home. 



12 Joseph yead; or 

Just before I reached the open street a man stepped in 
front of me and then suddenly turned facing me with out- 
stretched hand, exclaiming as he did so, "No you don't, old 
man, I know you in spite of your disguise! What in the 
name of goodness does all this mean, anyway? Come! give 
an account of yourself. What crime have you committed 
that you should suddenly disappear from the face of the 
earth, and then as suddenly reappear again in these Eip Van 
Winkle habiliments? You look like a holy fright. Where in 
the mystic realm of dreamland have you been all these 
years ?" 

The man who kept up this torrent of questions, not 
waiting for an answer to any, gave my hand a vigorous shake 
and then collapsed into a paroxysm of laughter, which seemed 
to me, was to be endless, from which he recovered at inter- 
vals only to ply me with more questions fast and furious, 
punctuating each question with a mirthful "Ha ha!" and 
"Ho ho!" 

I became aware of the fact that we were the center of a 
crowd of curious people while my old friend, Jack Dempsey, 
stood there plying me with senseless questions and laughing 
at my discomfiture like one gone mad ; and, as I had not been 
given a chance to say a word up to this time, I did the only 
thing left for me to do, took up his merriment and we ex- 
changed "ha ha" for "ha ha" like two bull pups barking at 
each other for their own amusement. 

I finally called Jack to his right mind by saying : "Jack 
Dempsey, if you do not close that mouth of yours and get me 
out of here, and to some place where I can get a shave and 
some clothes more in keeping with the habits of civilization, 
I will have you arrested for cruelty to animals. Get me some 
place where I can clean up, and then I will tell you my story, 
but I can't talk here, as I am nearly famished for something 
to feed the inner man. And when I am myself I will tell 
you my story of where I have been and what I have been doing 
for the last few years, which seem an age to me." 

"All right, come on," said Jack, "but I wish you to tell 
me now if you learned anything more of that white-whiskered 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 13 

duffer you were so interested in the last time I saw you ? You 
remember the one I mean I am sure." 

"Yes, I remember him/" I said, "and it is of him I shall 
speak. But first let me get rid of this crazy patch-work I 
have on in lieu of clothes and then I will be at your service." 

We soon reached a barber shop, and while I submitted 
myself to an artist's care, Jack went out and soon returned 
with garments fit for a prince when compared to the mixture 
of bear and buck skin that I was wearing. 

As soon as we left the barber shop we repaired to a first- 
class hotel. Then, as the evening was well-nigh spent, Jack 
left me, with a mutual understanding that we would meet on 
the morrow. 

I was awakened early the next morning by my friend 
Jack pounding on my door. I arose, and after a hasty toilet 
went down to the dining room and met Jack, and together 
we partook of an excellent breakfast. Let me say in passing 
that if anyone would enjoy to the full the refinement of the 
snowy white linen and beautiful decorations of silver-ware 
and cut-glass of an up-to-date breakfast table they should go 
into the wilderness and wander about for a few months, eating 
half-cooked meats roasted by the camp fire and sleeping on 
the soft face of a granite rock ; or experience the discomforts 
of a dusty and mouldy bed made of boughs of the pine-tree for 
awhile; then, and not till then, will one be able to under- 
stand what eating and sleeping really mean among a civilized 
people. 

But to continue my story. After breakfast, as Jack had 
to make a small town out some ten miles from the city, we 
coupled business with pleasure and drove out to the town be- 
hind a spanking pair of bay horses. On the way out I began 
my story and continued it from time to time until finished. 

"Well, Jack, if yon remember, when we were last together 
here in this city we discovered the fact that an old gray- 
whiskered man had sold a large quantity of gold dust, and we 
concluded from his dress of buckskin that he was a regular 
mountain rambler?" 

"Yes, I remember old 'gray whiskers' very well," said 
Jack. "And I also remember that you were very anxious to 



14 Joseph yead; or 

learn from whence he came, so that you might explore that 
region and, if possible, locate a mine of much gold and share 
with him the joy of getting hold of some of the same kind 
of 'dirt' that he seemed so well supplied with. Yes, my mem- 
ory is good along that line, for I remember you proposed 
to postpone your trip to Boise City to some future date if I 
would join you in an expedition of discovery, in which the 
old man was to be made, unwittingly, to take a leading part, 
and we to be his followers. Now don't get huffy," continued 
Jack, "for I will admit I was as anxious as yourself to follow 
the old duffer, but I could not see any way to get off from 
home and my house." 

"All right, Jack," I said, "it is perhaps as well and better 
that you did not join me in this hide-and-seek game, for 
while I did get a little gold dust out of the trip, it cost me 
more in hardships and time than the dust was worth — five 
times over — but I was more than paid by the fullness of other 
valuable sweets for the hardships I endured." 

"Did you really follow that old fellow after all?" queried 
my friend. "I have guessed as much all along, which accounts 
for my not trying to find out what had become of you all 
these years." 

"Yes," I answered, "I went. But if you will keep out of 
the game, I will tell you the whole story." 

And now, without excuse or apology, I give the story to 
the public just as I told it to my friend. 

When I left you at the corner of Seventeenth and Lara- 
mie, I at once started for the depot to arrange for my trip to 
Boise City, Idaho, but on my way I stepped into a jewelry- 
shop to see that my watch was running right, when I discov- 
ered that same old man weighing out more gold dust that he 
had sold to the jewelryman. In a moment my plans were 
changed, and I resolved to follow Mr "Gray Whiskers and 
Buckskin Breeches" to his bonanza. 

I spent some time looking at a scarf pin, waiting for the 
old man to leave the store, and then I followed him like the 
sleuths we read of in the Nick Carter yarns, but with none 
of the excitement nor danger attending the sleuths of the 
stories mentioned. 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 15 

I located my man all right at the Windsor Hotel. I then 
tried to locate you, only to learn from your house that you 
had been called to Pueblo on business, and would not return 
for several days ; so I had to enter the chase alone. 

I accordingly fixed myself for contingencies by drawing 
from my bankers and taking a "Letter of Credit" for all the 
money I had. I next took a room at the Windsor, where J 
learned all I could of the old man, which was next to nothing ; 
except that he registered from Boise City, and that he had a 
very old-fashioned leather trunk in his room, which was all 
the baggage he seemed to carry. 

The next day I made a discovery that helped me on to 
the trail, and, at the same time, made it possible for me to 
go on ahead and let the old man follow at his leisure. This 
arrangement bid fair to give me all the time I wanted in 
Boise City to attend to some business and await the coming 
of the man I was determined to shadow. My discovery was 
simply this : Mr. WhatVhis-name, for I could not make out 
a single letter from the scroll on the hotel register which T 
found there instead of a name, had purchased various supplies 
and some of them he had stored away in the old trunk. But, 
I accidentally learned that he had packed several boxes and 
shipped them to Boise City, consigned to "J. Y." I then took 
another look at the hotel register, and I could plainly make 
out two names, one beginning with "J," and the other begin- 
ning with "Y," and as I found he had bought a considerable 
quantity of goods for ladies and that he had submitted meas- 
urements in each purchase of shoes, dresses, gloves, etc., this 
indicated to me that the articles were intended for several 
persons. 

I therefore concluded that he was laying in supplies for 
himself and, perhaps, his wife and daughter, and that he 
could be depended upon to follow the goods to Boise. I 
thereupon packed my baggage and set out for Idaho. 

I arrived at Boise City in due time and at once began 
watching for the arrival of goods marked "J. Y.," and was 
gratified to see them arrive on the third day. I was meditat- 
ing as to how I had best proceed when something happened 
that I turned to my favor. 



16 Joseph yead; or 

I overheard the station-master say in a loud voice, "I 

don't care a where you got the bill of lading, you must 

be identified before you get the goods." I at once went inside 
the station-house and was in time to hear the man, who was 
evidently after some freight and was unknown to the agent, 
say, "All right, I will get some one to identify me." He 
then left the station. 

I leisurely approached the station-master, and, after mak- 
ing some comment on the state of the weather, asked him if 
he was annoyed very much by people wanting goods without 
proper credentials. His answer was rather short, I thought, 

for he said, "Not by a d n sight, for I hold the goods until 

I am safe." I ventured to ask if he knew the man who owned 
the goods and soon learned that I was on the wrong tack, for 
he answered me by saying, "Cut it out, what's it to you?" I 
attempted to make peace by offering an apology, and begged 
his pardon for my seeming inquisitiveness, whereupon he 
looked at me with a kind of I-was-not-born-yesterday smile 
on his face, deliberately puckered up his lips and began whist- 
ling a horn-pipe. 

A3 I was being worsted, I quickly left the depot, and as 
I went I heard some remark about a fool "tenderfoot" asking 
questions. I had no notion of leaving the station until I 
learned what goods the man was after, so I took from my 
pocket the latest paper and settled myself on an old rustic 
lawn chair and began to look over the news columns. I had 
barely begun reading when two men drove up to the station 
with a dray, and after the agent was satisfied the men began 
loading the goods marked "J. Y." T asked no more questions 
but I kept my eyes and ears open, and when one of the men 
said something about the distance being three or four miles 
to camp, it dawned on me that if I wished to locate that 
camp T had to be hustling. I hurried to a near-by livery 
stable and ordered a saddle-horse. T then went to my hotel, 
adjusted a wig of false hair and a full beard, changed my hat 
and drew on a pair of leather chaps, or leggings, and with a 
pair of revolvers hanging to the belt which I buckled around 
my waist, over my coat, T was sure no one would suspect me 
of being anything but mountain ranger. 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 17 

Thus disguised I made haste to the depot and found the 
dray had left and was just turning the hill several hundred 
yards to the north, and as the party had a good start I had 
to canter along lively to keep in sight. I followed them to 
their camp and there learned they had about fifty pack burros 
and several saddle horses. I returned to town by another route 
and had just turned my horse in at the stable when the dray- 
man drove up to the livery barn, and, to my surprise, the 
other fellow was with him. I was glad I had left my toggery 
at the hotel as it lessened the danger of my being suspected 
of spying on them. I learned from their talk that there was 
someone expected to come in on the train in a few days, at 
which time the drayman would get another job of hauling 
goods to the camp. By making inquiry I learned that the 
man from the camp was the owner of a burro train, which con- 
sists of a drove of pack-jacks, and that he was engaged in 
packing goods across the mountains and delivering them to 
the owners at places where a wagon could not go, as there 
were no roads, but narrow trails that led down steep canons, 
through jungles and forests, over rugged mountains with 
snow-capped peaks, and at last would lead to the camp of 
some lonely gold hunter in the mountain fastnesses. I after- 
wards learned that the trails faded into mere landmarks, known 
only to these mountain climbers, for no path could be seen, 
and a tenderfoot (as inexperienced travelers are called) could 
do nothing but stumble along over rocks and logs, through 
woods and canons, knowing nothing of direction only as he 
consulted his compass, without which he would have been 
lost in a labyrinth of hills. I gathered from their conversa- 
tion that the destination of the goods consigned to "J. Y." was 
some place in the Bitter Eoot mountains, and on consulting 
my map I could see there was a long journey ahead if I 
was to follow the old man with the white whiskers to the 
place of hidden treasure. I set about fixing myself for the 
trip. I bought a saddle horse for myself, which proved to be 
a noble animal. I next purchased a train of ten pack-jacks, 
a tent, and, in short, all the supplies necessary for an extended 
trip in the mountains. I engaged a guide who "was recom- 
mended to me, and, by his advice, I added many things to 



18 joseph yead; or 

my kit which proved to be indispensable, such as snow shoes, 
a compass and an abundance of ammunition for my fire-arms. 
I had a medicine box with bandages, scissors, thread, needles, 
pinchers, files, horse and jack, shoes and nails — and a hundred 
more things that I will not mention. But the strangest thing 
of all, the guide, or pack-man, whose name was Ted, would 
have me get quite a bundle of baling wire; and its usefulness 
proved to be so great that I voted Ted captain of the ship. 
I will not take time to tell you of the uses we put the wire to, 
but will say that if you wish to know what a utility wire is go 
on a pack trip and you will be made wise by experience. 

As we were now fully equipped I decided to go into camp 
and await developments. We chose our camping place about 
a half mile from the camp of the "J. Y." outfit. Ted was a 
good cook and he cared for the camp, while I was on the look- 
out. He soon discovered that I was interested in the "J. Y." 
outfit, but was a close-mouthed fellow and kept his own coun- 
sel. We were in camp about three days when the longlooked- 
for "J. Y." showed up. I returned from town on the second 
day after his arrival and found Ted packing the jacks. When 
I asked why he was packing, he said, "I see some of our neigh- 
bors are going to leave these parts, so I thought, perhaps, 
you were tired of this inaction, and if you were willing we 
would start our end of the pack-train. I rode to a point where 
I could see the "J. Y." pack train and found they were already 
on the move. I hastened back to camp and we were soon on 
their trail. So, at last, I had set out to follow an old man 
with gray whiskers just to satisfy my curiosity, for I well 
knew I could not hope to share with him his mining posses- 
sions, as I was not ignorant of the law governing mining 
claims and mineral lands. I was aware that if I found gold 
I would have to discover the precious metal on land that was 
yet unclaimed before I could own any of it. 

I will not enter into a detailed description of our weary 
journey over the long, winding trail we followed for the next 
fifteen days, but I will simply say we traveled at the rate of 
about twenty miles each day. Our path lay in a northeast- 
erly direction, and was over a semi-table land. Sometimes 
for many hours we would plod along over a comparatively 



THE STORY OP THE BEAST. 19 

level country so densely covered with sage-brush that the hair 
was worn from the legs of horse and jack and in many places 
the skin was rendered swollen and bleeding from constant 
contact with the brush. We fared very well most of the time, 
and the trip would have been pleasant enough had we not suf- 
fered for water. On account of the scarcity of that cooling 
fluid for a stretch of about eighty miles both man and beast 
nearly famished. But by forced marches we covered the ex- 
panse in a little over two days, at the end of which time 
we emerged from a veritable desert into a beautiful forest of 
quaking asp and fir trees and went into camp beside a moun- 
tain brook whose water was as sparkling and clear as an Aus- 
tralian diamond. We imitated the "J. Y." people and remained 
in camp one whole day, that we might refresh ourselves and 
give our pack animals a much needed rest. As the mountain 
parks and foothills were covered with succulent grass it was 
with pleasure we watched our stock feasting on its tender 
shoots and reveling in the cooling shade from the green-clad 
hills, while the stately pines and towering peaks and moun- 
tain crags presented a landscape to delight the eye of an artist 
or a fairy queen of Beulah land. 

Up to the time we entered the waterless plain we had 
followed our leaders at as great a distance to the rear as was 
permissible without danger of losing sight of them at some 
sudden turn they might make, but on entering the desert coun- 
try they increased their pace so that we were forced to aban- 
don all caution and drive our packs under the lash so inces- 
santly that it seemed almost wanton cruelty. Had we not 
maintained our energy and vigilance we would have been 
left so far behind that they could have easily lost themselves 
to us at any turn in their road. So, like Euth following 
Naomi, we exclaimed in actions, if not in words: "Entreat 
me not to leave Thee, or to return from following after Thee, 
for whither Thou goest I will go; and whither thou lodgest, 
I will lodge." Therefore, we pitched our camp within a few 
hundred yards of our leaders in the chase. 

During our stay in camp there was no visiting between 
the camps. After one day's rest, the "J. Y." as we called them, 
were up and away bright and early. We made no move until 



20 Joseph ybad; or 

they were out of sight. I then quickly saddled my horse and 
pushed on ahead that I might avoid losing them, as there was 
no trail that they seemed to be following. I soon reached the 
summit of a small hill some two miles to the north, from 
which I could see my leading friends, and to my surprise 
they had made a turn and were bearing west about eighty-five 
degrees. I kept well out of sight under the hill and brought 
my field-glass into play, as I wished to learn what Mr. "J. Y." 
was doing, for he had dropped behind his pack and was stand- 
ing on the ground by his horse. As I brought my field-glass 
to my eyes I discovered he was about to use his glass also. 
So I retreated behind the hill and quickly dismounted and 
ran to a rock around which I could watch without being seen. 
By this time I could see he was sweeping the hill on which I 
stood, and over which he had passed, as if he was expecting 
to see my pack appear again on his trail. I kept myself well 
under cover of the rock, feeling sure he could not see me. In 
this, I afterward learned, I was mistaken. 

While I was thus watching him he took something from 
his saddle-bags and covered his head with what appeared to 
be a dark cloth, and stood for a minute, after which he re- 
turned his glass to its case, mounted his horse and soon dis- 
appeared from my sight, following the wake of his pack train. 
I hastened with all speed to camp, where I found Ted just 
swinging the pack into line. We did not follow the trail of 
the "J. Y." pack, but turned west-by-north at once, seeking to 
avoid the appearance of following and spying on Mr. "J. Y." 
We traveled until noon without incident, only I was worked 
to the limit keeping track of the "J. Y." people and communi- 
cating with Ted so that he might know of any change in the 
program. At the noon hour the sun became obscured by 
clouds that had been gathering all morning, and at about 2 
o'clock quite a dense fog set in, attended with showers of rain 
at intervals. But for our rain coats and the rain-cloth covers 
we had for each pack we would have been wet to the skin 
and our goods ruined. Again I had occasion to thank my 
guide for his advice, without which I should not have pro- 
vided the coverings for the packs. 

We plodded on and on through rain and fog, and, though 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 21 

I tried all the charms of hypnotic suggestion and mental 
influence, and all the conjuring of mind over matter that I 
had ever read of, to force our friends into camp, all was of 
no avail ; the "J. Y." pack-train seemed obstinate and difficult 
to control, and so kept on their way without regard to my 
wishes in the matter. Finally, with joy, I saw my task-mas- 
ters pitch their camp for the night. I was so tired that 1 
believed myself to be the most worn-out and wretched man 
ever known. I spurred my jaded horse into as fast a pace 
as was possible over the most abominable footing I ever be- 
held, which was rendered more difficult because of the mud. 
The rocks were wet and slippery, so my horse could do little 
better than stumble along back to camp. We selected a good 
place for our bauvoose, and as soon as the stock was cared for 
and supper over we turned in for the night. The next morn- 
ing we were out early, notwithstanding it was still raining. 
While Ted was looking after the stock I went over to within 
sight of "J. Y/s" camp and found them still there and no one 
stirring. I hurried back to camp, and, after breakfast, took 
up my station as watchman. The clouds gathering low down 
indicated a dismal day. Within an hour they had settled 
down on the mountains and become so dense that one could 
not see fifty steps in any direction. I had heard of mountain 
fog and became alarmed lest I be caught from camp and be 
unable to find my way. So I returned as hastily as I could, 
for I had no fear of anyone trying to travel through such a 
fog in such a wild and pathless country. It was well that I 
did retrace my steps so hastily for even then it became neces- 
sary for Ted to guide me back to camp by his answering call. 
I had to dismount and lead my horse and pick each footstep 
to avoid stumbling in some pitfall; the fog was so dense I 
could not see my own feet without stooping. In fact, I was 
but little better than a man totally blind. I reached camp in 
safety, but no amount of money could have induced me to 
move out again until the fog raised, which it did not do 
until about 4 o'clock, and even then it re-settled within an 
hour. As soon as I dared do so I hastened to see if my friends 
of the "J. Y." were still in camp, but when I reached my look- 
out I discovered they were gone. I went to their camping 



22 Joseph yead; or 

place, and the few signs I knew indicated they had been gone 
hours. I tried to decipher the direction they had taken, and 
had about concluded they had gone west, when I noticed that 
terrible gray fog settling down like a lake of water and gradu- 
ally engulfing the vallies below. I made haste to retrace my 
steps, but was soon overtaken by the fog. I followed the 
tracks of my own horse until they were no longer visible, and 
as I had frequently consulted my compass for direction I 
judged from the distance I had traveled that I was near 
camp, but, upon calling Ted, I received no response. So I 
kept on my course, but made very little progress, as it was 
now dark even without the fog. I discharged my revolver to 
attract the attention of Ted, and heard his answering shot, 
but was unable to tell the direction the sound came from. 
To test my own senses I turned my face toward what I believed 
to be north, then lit a match, and my compass said I was 
facing south instead of north, and it dawned on me that I 
was like the Indian who could not find his way to the wigwam 
and who maintained that he was not lost, but said the wig- 
wam was lost. I traveled on for two hundred yards in a 
direction I believed due east, when, stopping to consult my 
compass, I found I was still going south. I again turned 
east, as camp was in that direction, so I believed, and went 
on for some distance, when I came upon a cliff of rocks at 
the foot of which was a drift of dry logs and dead brush. 
I then discovered a recess in the rocks or a kind of cave. 
I went up under the overhanging rocks and found a pitch 
pine log, and I gathered some dry twigs and pine knots and 
soon had a fire, being benumbed with cold. I piled heaps of 
wood on the fire and soon felt fine, only I was suffering for 
want of supper. 

I found by experiment that the strong fire-light could 
not penetrate that fog more than a few feet. So I gave up 
hunting for camp and spent the balance of the night at my 
lonely fireside. And as fatigue is the best opiate, I soon 
fell asleep. 

I had piled on my fire several red cedar logs, with the 
other wood, which kept up a continual musketry of sparks, 
which forced me to retreat to a safe distance where I made a 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 23 

bed of brush. When a spark would alight on my hands or 
face I was reminded of Dante's Inferno and his description 
of the sparks of sputtering molten metal raining on the naked 
backs of the spirits who were damned for deeds done while 
on earth in the flesh. 

Sometime in the latter part of the night, I was awakened 
by a live coal of fire that had been snapped from a burning 
cedar log and had alighted upon the end of my nose. When 
I had dislodged the offending cinder and realized I was still 
lost I began to look about to see if the fog was lifting, when 
my eye caught sight of a moving object, and, as I watched I 
could see two glaring eyes peering through the under-brush. 
I at once realized that the chance shot of the coal of fire had 
awakened me in time to protect myself from some wild beast. 
I cautiously swung my rifle into line, making as little move- 
ment as possible, then lay still and watched. I soon discov- 
ered the beast was stealthily approaching, for I could 
see its head and neck by the light of the smouldering fire. 
It continued to draw nearer until it finally crouched upon a 
flat rock not over one hundred feet away. As it seemed about 
to gather its forces to spring my horse became excited and 
began pawing the ground, which caused the cougar or moun- 
tain lion (which the beast proved to be), to turn its head for 
a moment. I took quick advantage of this second of time, 
for the moment his eyes turned back to me I sent a ball of 
lead crashing through his brain. At the crack of my rifle 
the cougar came forward with a bound and fell dead within 
twenty feet of my brush hammock. As soon as my excite- 
ment subsided I proceeded to remove the skin of the beast, 
which I wished to preserve as a trophy. When I had finished 
the night was well-nigh spent, but as I set by the fire resting 
and waiting for day I fell into a light slumber, from which 
I awoke the next morning in time to see the sun rising in 
the west, but on taking my compass into counsel I decided 
that I was wrong or the compass was. I consulted my pocket 
mirror to see if I was cross-eyed, and could hardly resist look- 
ing at my feet to see if they were still as they should be — toes 
in front and heels behind. The fog had disappeared during 
the night, and as the day was clear and bright I soon got my 



24 Joseph yead; or 

bearings and reached camp in time to awaken Ted, who had 
fallen asleep by the fire he had kindled on a high place to light 
me along life's pathway. 

Ted explained that he knew by the sound of my shots 
that I was going from, rather than toward, camp. He also 
explained that none but the most experienced can discern the 
direction of a noise caused by discharging fire-arms in a moun- 
tainous country, as the echo confuses from being thrown back 
from so many directions. 

As soon as breakfast was over we were on the move, and 
soon reached the last camping grounds of the "J. Y." that we 
had any record of. With Ted's experience we were soon on 
the trail, which we followed nearly west for about two miles, 
when it turned north to where they had evidently gone into 
camp. From this camp they left no trail, as the several 
tracks we could find seemed to lead in different directions. 
So we used the remainder of that day trying to find where 
they came together again, as the scattered tracks proved that 
they had separated. For two days we made wide detours in 
search of their trail, but all to no purpose; Mr. "J. Y." had 
given us the slip, leaving not a trace on which we could form 
an opinion as to the direction they had taken. I knew their 
destination was somewhere in the Bitter Boot mountains, so 
I resolved to find their place of retreat if it took me a year 
to do it and I was compelled to explore that range of moun- 
tains from end to end. When I engaged my guide I could not 
contract with him for longer than a month, and as there were 
only ten days remaining I did not know what I was going to 
do, as Ted told me he must return to Boise City, for he had 
contracted with another party for the summer, with the privi- 
lege of a year, and that he would suffer great loss rather than 
violate his word. I therefore had no choice but to let him go 
when his time expired. For the next eight days we traveled 
north-by-west along the trend of the Bitter Eoot mountains. 
I was learning the art of exploration very rapidly, and Ted 
encouraged me by saying I knew more about the altitude, 
spurs and angles of mountains than half of the guides in the 
hills who preyed upon tenderfoot tourists, would ever know. 
He said all I needed was a good, trusty man to care for camp 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 25 

and cook, and that a guide could do no more for me than I 
could do for myself . I was a good rifle and pistol shot and 
had supplied our camp with plenty of fresh meat ever since 
we reached the hills, so I was safe on that score. But I 
wanted someone to act as cook and for company. But we 
knew of no way of supplying my wants, for there was no one 
I could get in this man-forsaken country of mountain canons 
and wild animals. We had not seen a white man since we 
lost sight of my friend of the "J. Y." pack-train. I had learned 
the art of packing, camp-building, and cooking, so I could get 
on very well, but I could not see how I was to keep my pack 
animals from wandering off and becoming lost to me while 
I was making explorations. On the last day Ted was with me 
we remained in camp and finished our settlement, in which 
I turned over to him four of the jacks, as I did not have use 
for so many; and, after I had written a letter of commenda- 
tion, which was filed away in an old bill book with many 
others of the same kind, we proceeded to rest up for the mor- 
row^s labors. 

I was loth to part with my guide, as he was a fine fellow 
and a companion as well as guide. But I was fully deter- 
mined to go on with my search, not that I cared so much about 
locating Mr. "J. Y." but I had gotten into the game and the 
adventurous spirit had taken such hold of me that I could 
not get the consent of my mind to turn back until I had 
seen more of this wild mountainous country. As Ted pro- 
ceeded to get up the last supper we were to take together for 
many weeks he called my attention to a man approaching 
from the mountain, and, by using my glass, I could see he was 
coming straight toward us. Ted said he was, in all probabil- 
ity, some fiendish gold-hunter who had been starved out and 
was making his way back to civilization, where he could work 
and get supplies to enable him to toil on yet another year 
in the hope of forcing the mountains to give up their hidden 
treasure. I afterward learned there were many hundreds of 
men in the Eocky Mountains who suffered from privation and 
hid themselves from civilization all their lives, buoyed up by 
the hope of finding a mine that would return them fabulous 
wealth, only to come to their final end with that hope unre- 



26 Joseph yead; or 

alized; for those poor creatures almost invariably believe that 
if they can only sink their mine just a few more feet they 
will uncover untold millions. I have heard these poor suf- 
ferers bewailing their ill-luck because they have to die at the 
very moment of success, as they believed ; when, in fact, what 
they are pleased to call their gold mine would not sell for 
enough cash to buy a hole in a doughnut. 

We had just begun our evening meal when, to our sur- 
prise, the man we had noticed coming toward us from the 
hills walked into camp. He had covered a distance of not 
less than two miles in twenty-five minutes. As we watched 
him he seemed to bound along like a rubber ball. His easy 
swing of foot reminded me of a pacing horse more than any- 
thing I could think of. Just before he reached camp Ted 
remarked, "Well, by gum, that fellow is a sure thing hummer 
on foot." Almost before Ted had finished speaking the man 
was in camp, and, without preliminaries, began speaking to 
us in the brogue of a Frenchman. 

He began by politely saying: "I trust ze travelere dus 
not intrude on ze privasee of ze gentlemens." And upon be- 
ing told he was welcome to our campfire and to as many 
other comforts as we possessed, he began to unload the pack 
which he carried on his back. 

He had a roll of blankets, his rifle, a Colts revolver, a 
hunting-knife, some bacon and venison and other articles of 
food, all of which are necessary for a traveler to have con- 
stantly at hand when he is in this country, for there are no 
spare bed-rooms nor friendly inns where the weary and hungry 
can obtain food and lodging. So a man traveling without 
pack animals must act as his own jack-ass. 

This lonely traveler proved he was no tenderfoot, for 
without delay he began to prepare his supper from his pack, 
after asking permission to use our fire. We prevailed upon 
him to partake of our food, to which, after considerable urg- 
ing, he did full justice. 

And now, while he is eating, we will describe him, for he 
proved to be a bad man, and a thorn in the flesh, as will be 
seen as we proceed. He gave his name as Max M. De Jaques. 
He was rather spare of build, but with good heavy shoulders 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 27 

that stooped enough to suggest a crouching posture. His ev- 
ery movement was quick and executed without seeming effort. 
His small, black, weasely eyes were so close together one might 
wonder how an instrument could be sufficiently sharp-pointed 
to jab one eye out without getting both. His hair was black 
as a raven and straight as an Indian's. His forehead was low 
and receding, and, with a high-bridged nose, thin lips, dark 
skin and sharp features, he was not handsome to look upon, 
nor did he inspire one with an over-confidence that he was a 
harmless character. Soon after nightfall Max M. De Jaques 
rolled himself in his blanket and was soon fast asleep. 

The following morning, while Ted was rounding up the 
pack animals and making ready for his trip back to Boise 
City, I prepared breakfast and talked to "Frenchie," who 
told me he had one of "ze viry rich mines/' and that he must 
go to the settlement and work for money so he could get "ze 
gold from ze mine." He admitted that no gold was in sight, 
but was sure it must be there for the reason that he was sink- 
ing a tunnel in the mountain just like the one he had seen at 
Ouray, Colorado, from which so much gold was taken that 
one hundred jacks each day could not carry it to town. 

I could not bring myself to believe the man quite straight, 
but, as I needed some one and he seemed anxious for work, 
I engaged him to work for me, his time to begin at once, with 
which arrangement he seemed well pleased. When I informed 
Ted that I was to retain "Frenchie" he said I had better keep 
my eyes open for he did not like his looks; that he did not 
appear to be what he claimed. So I was more resolved to be 
on my guard, inasmuch as Ted had formed the same impres- 
sion of the man that I had. 

Now, as Ted was off, and I had arranged with him to 
either come himself or send a good man to me in September 
with fresh supplies, and we had arranged the place of meet- 
ing, I sat upon a high crag beside the trail and watched Ted's 
little pack-train as he moved off down the mountain side and 
was lost to view among the foothills in the distance. 

When I could no longer hear his cheery voice calling 
"Hike there, Mike," and, "Skip, there, Jim," and the last faint 
notes of his favorite song came floating back to me on the 



28 Joseph yead; or 

clear, soft air of the morning, I fell into a mood of lonesome- 
ness and was lost to the flight of time and my surroundings. 
The tinkling of the bell on my own burro seemed to add to, 
rather than detract from, my feeling of loneliness. How long 
I sat there thinking, or how long I would have continued in 
my lonesome muse I know not had I not been aroused by the 
appearance of a beautiful rainbow that was reflected from a 
cloud far below in the valley. And as I feasted my eyes on its 
iridescence and shimmering rubicund I was impressed by the 
fact that contrary to all my past experience with rainbows 
this one was between me and the sun and its bow was inverted, 
with the ends reaching high upon the mountain side, as if it 
were lying on its back. As I was meditating upon this strange 
phenomenon I chanced to glance further to my left, where I 
discovered a heavy cloud rising from the lowlands, and, as I 
watched its ocean-like appearance, there appeared upon its 
bosom the picture of a city surrounded by farms, lanes and 
forests. I at once realized that I was looking upon my first 
mirage picture. I have since that day seen several similar 
pictures, but none under such favorable circumstances. 

When the picture and rainbow had faded away I arose 
and hurried to camp, where "Frenchie" had everything in 
ship-shape to move. I will say here that Max M. De Jaques 
was the quickest and neatest packman I ever saw, and as 
a cook his equal was not in the Eoekies. 

For the next three months we moved camp every few 
days, and I explored every canon and valley on both sides of 
the mountains. There was plenty of game, and as I was be- 
coming an expert hunter we were sometimes over-supplied 
with fresh meat. 

We were now in a region where there were a goodly num- 
ber of prospectors, as the gold-mine hunters were called, so 
I avoided wasting my game by giving the surplus to these 
men, who would always offer pay for the meat, and in most 
cases they would refuse to take it unless I would accept rea- 
sonable compensation. 

At this season of the year there were quite a number of 
packmen coming into the mountains in quest of wild game of 
all kinds, which they transported across the mountains and 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 29. 

disposed of at summer resorts at a tremendous profit. I sup- 
plied these trains with part of their cargo, and, in a few in- 
stances, I was able to supply the full load. So it happened 
that I found myself possessed of more money than I cared 
to carry about my person or my camp. I offered to pay 
"Frenchie" his wages, but he would say, "Ze mon I no want 
now, I take ze mon alle when I go back to ze mine." 

As we were now nearing the 1st of September I moved 
my camp in a northwesterly direction to a place Ted had de- 
scribed to me so minutely that I recognized it as soon as i 
arrived, and where I was to meet him or the man he was to 
send me with fresh supplies. We went into camp well up on 
the side of the mountain opposite the twin mountains, called 
"the Twin Ball Mountains." These ponderous hills are so 
much alike that one cannot discern any difference in their 
appearance. About eight miles north stood the highest peak 
in the Bitter Root chain. In fact, Ted showed me the peak 
from where we stood when we fixed the place of meeting. I 
stayed here over a month, and with my rifle I laid in fresh 
meat enough to do me for many months, but I learned there 
would be plenty of game in this region for two months yet. 
On meeting a burro pack that had failed to get a cargo fur- 
ther south I turned over a full pack-load after adding the sup- 
ply of two more days' killings. 

Up to this time I had no complaint to make of 
"Frenchie," for he had been all, and more, than I could rea- 
sonably expect. A fine cook and packman he was, but a 
good shot or hunter he was not. He seemed to be unable to get 
his eyes to work except at cross-purposes when trying to use 
a rifle, while in all other matters his eyes seemed to be able 
to see a gnat at five hundred paces and his ears to hear the 
slightest unusual sound. His movements were so quick and 
cat-like I verily believe a weasel was his only equal, and even 
that question is debatable. Many times he approached me so 
close that he could have reached forth his hand and touched 
me without my hearing his footsteps — I have since come to 
know he was experimenting to see how watchful I was — and 
as I am not easily startled I evinced no surprise at his pres- 



30 Joseph yead; or 

ence, and sometimes spoke to him without turning my head, 
as if I had seen him approach. 

One night, after I had sold my game to the last packman 
of the season as I was lying in my bunk, my hand resting 
against the wall, I felt the wall of the tent tremble as if the 
center strings to my compartment were being drawn. As I 
was wondering what could be the cause I saw "Frenchie," 
with his cat-like tread, approaching my cot. There was just 
light enough so that I could see his form, but could not see 
whether he had anything in his hand. I lay perfectly still but 
on the alert, with my right hand clinched and my muscles 
strained ready to spring if I saw danger. On he came and 
stooped over me, as if peering into my face to see if I was 
asleep. When I was sure he was within reach of my fist I dealt 
him a stinging blow in the fact, which sent him sprawling 
across the tent to the ground, whereupon he began to chatter 
something about "ze jack-ass kicking." I sprang to my feet and 
struck a light. While he was still on the ground I ordered 
him to arise, but he seemed not to hear me, but kept on talk- 
ing of the jack-ass kicking him in the face and then getting 
away from him. 

While I was wondering if I had crazed him with my 
blow he deliberately arose and went to his couch, wrapped his 
blanket around himself and lay down. I concluded he was 
walking in his sleep, and re-tied the flaps and drew the knots 
taught and went back to sleep. 

He was up early the next morning and had breakfast 
ready when I came out. When I asked him what had bruised 
his face he said he did not know, but he had dreamed during 
the night that a jack had kicked him and then broke his 
halter and escaped. When I asked him if he ever walked in 
his sleep he seemed to have never heard of such a thing being 
done by any one, and said he was sure he could not get up 
without waking. So I was fully convinced he was asleep when 
I struck him and was sorry I did it. 

For several days he seemed worried about his face being 
bruised and because he did not know how it was done, nor 
when. Though his part was well acted, subsequent events 
proved this little piece of deception only child's play when 



THE STORY OP THE BEAST. 31 

compared to the villainy of which this devil incarnate was 
capable. 

One day, soon after "FrenchieV sleep-walking incident, 
I returned to camp for my compass, that I had forgotten, 
and found "Frenchie" gone, although he had said he would 
stay in camp that day. I, thinking perhaps he had gone to see 
after the stock, procured my compass and was again on my 
way, when I remembered that "Frenchie" had said the day 
before he should want his money for he intended sending for 
a supply of provisions at once. I saw no way for him to send, 
yet he was entitled to his money. So I explained to him that 
I kept but little money about me and that I would pay him 
in a day or two — as soon as I could make a trip to where I had 
hidden the money. As I proceeded this matter of money, 
and "Frenchie's" absence from the camp kept recurring to 
my mind, and I finally left my course and made a detour of 
my cabin. I had gone but half way around the cabin when I 
saw four saddle horses hitched in a clump of trees that grew 
in a cluster in a deep canon. I dismounted and left my 
horse in the background for fear he might give a too noisy 
greeting to his kind and thus circumvent my investigations. 
I picked my way carefully, taking care to keep hid as much 
as possible. I had proceeded only about three hundred yards, 
to a point of rock overlooking the valley below, when I dis- 
covered five men, who were, seemingly in consultation. By 
using my field-glass I could see that there were four strangers 
and "Frenchie" made the fifth man. I was determined to 
watch these fellows to find out what their business with 
"Frenchie" was. I secreted my horse on the opposite side of 
the cabin from which the men were, and then stationed my- 
self in a position overlooking my cabin. I had only fairly 
secreted myself when I saw the men approaching the camp, 
where they held another "powwow." I should have been glad 
to overhear their conversation for I could but feel that all 
was not right, for honest men would not use such precaution 
as they had by secreting their horses and calling "Frenchie" 
away from the cabin. At the end of half an hour they took 
leave of "Frenchie," each in turn shaking hands with him. 
When they gained their horses they soon disappeared beyond 



32 Joseph yead; or 

the hill, and as "Frenchie" went about his duties as usual 
I proceeded on my way. As I was intending to visit my hid- 
den storehouse and carry "Frenchie's" accrued wages to him, 
I was very careful that I was not spied upon. 

I returned to camp about 4 o'clock and found everything 
in perfect order and "Frenchie" in good spirits and, rather 
talkative. I counted his time with him and paid him his 
dues, but took good care to let him see I had but a few dol- 
lars left after he was paid. I was sure there appeared on his 
face a flash of disappointment and surprise when he realized 
I had paid him nearly all the money I had brought, but it was 
only momentary and I might have been mistaken, as my mind 
was in a too suspicious state. I also noticed that "Frenchie 5 * 
was much more talkative than usual, and once or twice I 
was sure I detected the omission of the French accent in his 
speech. But when he in a matter-of-fact manner told me of 
the visit he had received from the horsemen, who, he said, 
were to come again in twenty days, when he would employ 
them to bring him supplies, after which he would go to his 
mine for the winter, I was fully satisfied that my suspicions 
were unfounded. 

The next day after the incident of "Frenchie" and his 
visitors I went farther from camp than usual, and reached a 
point near the cabin of an old miner with whom I had formed 
a friendship and to whom I had given fresh meat, and had 
called upon several times during' a few days that I had my 
camp near his cabin. As I was so near the old man I went 
to his place to make a friendly call, for he had a very bright 
mind for a man who had spent so many years in the mines. 

When I arrived at his cabin I found he had fallen and 
broken his leg, and, for want of care and because of his age, 
blood-poison had set in, and I saw at once there was no hope 
for recovery, but I hastened back to my cabin for my medi- 
cine chest. I told "Frenchie" of the old man's condition, and 
I also told him I should not return until the poor old man 
wa3 dead. I then hastened back to him and proceeded to do 
all I could for his comfort. 

The old man had spent forty years of his life developing 
a hole in the mountain that he called a "mine" and which he 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 33 

had named "The Fairy Queen." I am sure a more despotic 
queen never ruled an enslaved people who had more homage 
paid her than this old man rendered to this "Fairy Queen," 
which was just a hole in the mountain, and had no value save 
as a monument to the life-long industry of this gold-crazed 
man. 

I stayed with the old man for five days, when the end 
came. By the help of two old fellows who were owners of 
as valuable mines as that of the dead prospector, we laid the 
old man to his last long rest. 

The second day I was with him the old man willed me 
all his earthly possessions. So it happened that when I least 
expected it I was sole owner of a gold mine and some mining 
tools and camp trumpery. I gave everything to the two old 
hermits who helped bury the old man and took a few of the 
best specimens of ore from the hole in the hill, which proved 
"The Fairy Queen" to have not even a good pretense of value. 
I honestly believe that in an average lifetime a man could not 
have taken enough gold from this miserable failure to fill a 
small cavity in the tooth of the smallest fairy queen described 
by the writer of Aesop's Fables. 

The old man gave me a bundle of papers, which I ex- 
amined after his death, and, to my surprise, I found some 
writing which gave the most minute measurments and other 
directions which would, if followed, so the writer said, lead 
to what he called his "grub-stake." There was a tape line in 
the bundle also. Then followed full directions how to pro- 
ceed in working "The Fairy Queen" so as to reach the great 
body of ore the old man believed would be uncovered by fol- 
lowing his directions. While I had no faith in the mine I 
did believe in the old man's grub-stake, for I had discovered 
in his character the marks of an ideal man on whose honor 
one could safely confide. 

The writing was in a plain, bold hand, and the directing 
words were few and easy to follow. The closing paragraph 
recited how he had come into possession of this "grub-stake" 
by honest toil in the placer mines of southwestern Colorado, 
where he had worked out a small placer mine that he had 
staked under the name of "303." He also said in his writ- 



34 Joseph ybad; or 

ings that he had no living kinsman, and he wished the one to 
whom he gave the papers to use the "grub-stake" as his own, 
without fear of its having been dishonestly obtained. 

I followed the directions given, and at the base of a large 
granite boulder I dug up a round box which was so heavy I 
could not lift it. After many experiments I discovered the 
lid screwed on and off. So I opened the strange box and found 
twenty-four buck-skin bags filled with gold dust and nuggets, 
which I weighed out on a pair of mineral scales I found in the 
old cabin. The gold dust was worth eighteen thousand dol- 
lars, which was, after all, a wonderful return for the labor 
of five days in the interest of humanity. 

After I had marked the last resting place of the old man 
I removed the bags of gold dust and placed them with my own 
little hoard. I then went back to my own cabin, where I 
found "Frenchie" had looked after everything in a manner 
that was highly satisfactory. 

Two or three days after the above incident, "Frenchie" 
asked me for a two days* leave of absence, as he wished to go 
see an old miner and repay him a loan he had obtained sev- 
eral months before he came to my camp. I granted him the 
time he asked for, and he set out on his trip early the next 
morning. 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 36 



CHAPTEK II. 

While "Frenchie" was gone I planned a scheme by which 
I hoped to overhear any further counseling that took place 
in my cabin. I recalled the fact that I had two telephone 
receivers which I had used at school in the operation of a 
private 'phone line between my room and that of a student 
across the street. I hunted them out, and placed them in 
service for my scheme. 

I will here explain that I had determined to make my 
present camp headquarters for the coming winter, so had 
builded a cabin and a log stable for my pack-animals. 

I now used the bundle of baling-wire which Ted had ad- 
vised me to add to my outfit before we left Boise City, and, 
after attaching the 'phone receiver to one end, I proceeded to 
string the wire along the eaves of the cabin, using care to hide 
the wire well behind the bark and chinking of the logs. I 
then carried the wire to the ground, and outside the cabin 
under the foundation log, thence to a nearby canon, and 
along its steep bank at a place where man or beast was least 
likely to go, ending at a point about eighty rods to the east 
of the cabin. I then attached the other receiver to the wire. 
This arrangement formed a complete 'phone line from the 
cabin to the point of rocks, which was well hidden by a 
clump of bottom willows. To test the efficiency of this im- 
provised 'phone I separated one of the jacks from the others 
and tied him within twenty steps of the cabin. I then re- 
moved the other jacks from the sight of this one, which caused 
him to raise his voice in protest. I then hurried to the point 
of rocks, and was delighted with the success of my experi- 
ment, for I could not only hear the bray of the burro, but I 
could hear the chain of his halter rattling against the post 



36 JOSEPH yead; or 

to which it was made fast. I now completed my 'phone line 
by burying the wire, where there was danger of its being dis- 
covered, encased in alder tubes. After all was finished I made 
a second test which proved the device a perfect success. I 
then removed all traces of my work. 

* About noon of the third day "Frenchie" came gliding 
into camp, for which I was truly glad, as I had not been hunt- 
ing for sometime, and I was anxious to test my 'phone on the 
human voice. So the next day I placed myself at the other 
end of the 'phone line and waited for some time without 
hearing any sound except what I believed was the soft foot- 
steps of "Frenchie" as he went about the camp. I was finally 
rewarded for my patience by hearing "Frenchie" splitting 
kindling, and soon thereafter I could hardly suppress my 
laughter, for I heard "Frenchie" curse in good western style 
over some mishap which had befallen him. This ended my 
tests, for I was now assured of success. 

I now went hunting every day, but I bagged no game to 
mention, for I was too deeply interested in testing my sus- 
picions as to "Frenchie's" loyalty to go far from the camp, 
over which I kept a good lookout. 

About five days after "Frenchie's" return I discovered 
five horsemen approaching from the west. As soon as I 
satisfied myself they were making for my cabin I hurried to 
my 'phone and noted results. I had been at the 'phone but 
a few minutes when I heard a horse whinnying, followed by 
a shrill whistle. I then heard "Frenchie's" voice call, "Come 
on in, I am alone; 'the boss' is out for the day." I was 
startled beyond measure, for "Frenchie" did not use the 
French accent, yet I knew it was he, for it was close to the 
other end of the line. The answer seemed far away, and was 
so inarticulate I could not catch the words. I waited several 
minutes, but could hear only incoherent voices mingling to- 
gether, as if there were several people talking at once. I 
was about despairing of being able to accomplish my purpose 
when the words became plain and I could understand nearly 
all that was said. I heard "Frenchie" say, " 'The boss' will 
not likely return until four or five o'clock," followed by a con- 
fusion of voices. I then heard a voice ask, "Do you know 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 37 

where the money is"? And, following the question, I heard 
"Frenchie," who had resumed his French accent, tell how "the 
boss" had hid his money, and how he had followed "the boss" 
to where he was sure the money was, but could not find the 
exact place it was hidden. I now heard a voice break and 
say, "Ah, hell! Costillo, cut out that French gibberish and 
talk United States. You can practice that on 'the boss,' 
but not on us." I mentally tendered a vote of thanks to the 
voice that stopped "Frenchie" from using his jabbering, as 
I could now hear and perfectly understand everything that 
was said. I gathered from their conversation that they would 
run a blind on me by binding "Frenchie" and use him to 
extort my money from me, as a ransom. Failing in that, they 
would hold up and bind me also, and, with threats, and even 
torture, force me to lead them to my treasure box. "Frenchie" 
told them I was very determined, and would probably die be- 
fore I would comply, and they made answer: "He is not 
the first stubborn fool to be flung from the cliff." 

By this time I was so much aroused and angered I left 
the 'phone, snatched up my rifle and made for the cabin, 
emitting the breath of vengeance at every stride ; but I recalled 
the fact that they had spoken of another "job" they had in 
sight, and I was also aware of the more important fact that 
in my present frame of mind I would be sure to kill some one, 
or, perhaps, get killed myself. And as there was no good 
reason for either I wiped the hot perspiration from my brow 
and coolly returned to the 'phone to hear more of their plans. 
When I again took up the receiver I learned they had about 
finished the arrangement so far as I was concerned. 
"Frenchie" told them he had not been paid half his wages, 
and they agreed his pay should come first and the balance 
should be divided equally. He argued that he should have 
my horse extra to pay for the blow I had struck him, and he 
then coolly told them how he had tried to kill me in my sleep 
at a time he knew all the money was in the tent. Oh, how 
my fingers tingled to get hold of that villain and pulverize 
him! 

I gathered from the remainder of the talk that there was 
a pack-train about to start from a point about one hundred 



38 Joseph yead; or 

miles north of my camp and which was sure to go nearly due 
west to Elgin, Oregon, where the owners would ship a great 
quantity of gold dust to San Francisco. I also heard and 
understood, as plain as day, that they would hide themselves 
in the short range of mountains that lies between Salmon and 
Snake rivers, about twenty-five miles south of the forks of 
the two rivers, where the pack-train was sure to cross the 
range of mountains described. I learned further that this 
pack-train would reach the Salmon river about the middle 
of November. I overheard them arrange with "Frenchie" to 
act the spy, and I heard them say something about capturing 
a rich lady, and they made a jest of "Frenchie's" having an 
opportunity of gaining a wife by the capture. 

They then broke up their council, and I knew they were 
arranging to "receive" me on my return to camp. So I made 
careful note of everything pertaining to the other "job," left 
the 'phone, mounted my horse, and rode a good way up into 
the hills, circled my camp and came in from the northwest 
and boldly approached camp with as much sang-froid as I 
could command. 

As I drew near the cabin I was at a loss to know what 
to do, for I could not see anyone about the place. My wits 
came quick, and I acted on each thought the minute it came. 
I was sure I should find "Frenchie" in the cabin, bound, and 
I at once realized they thought to wait until I was in the 
cabin and then get my horse and prevent my escape. When 
but a few hundred yards from the cabin I leaned forward, 
as if reaching for something on the head-piece of the bridle, 
and then jabbed the spur into the flank of my horse, which 
caused him to lunge forward, when I allowed my hat to be 
dislodged and fall to the ground. I thus had a most natural 
excuse to turn around, and by pretending to console my horse 
I was afforded opportunity to peer about under my brow and 
try to locate the enemy, which I did, for one was hiding be- 
hind the cabin and the others were behind the stable. I caught 
sight of their heads as they watched me get my hat when they 
had no thought of my being on my guard. 

As soon as I had the fellows located and had divined their 
purpose I rode boldly on to the cabin and called "Frenchie" ; 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 39 

then, after waiting a moment, I said aloud as if to myself, 
"I will wager fifteen cents those infernal burros have given 
'Frenchie' another chase, so I had better see if I can help 
him." Whereupon I cast off a pair of sage-hens I had killed 
and whirled my horse and struck off in a brisk canter up a 
nearby ridge of hills. I heard the excited voice of the robber 
who was behind the house shouting in a hoarse stage whisper 
for "Frenchie" to call me, and I heard "Frenchie's" faint call, 
as if he were half-smothered by a gag, for he would never for- 
get his cue. Even though death stared him in the face that 
villain could act his part. 

I had nearly gained the summit of the ridge, when I 
heard a sharp command, "Halt, there!" And as I turned I 
saw a puff of smoke and at the same instant a bullet whis- 
tled by my ears. I quickly returned the shot and followed 
it up with four or five in rapid succession with my Colts 
repeating rifle. Each shot was planted in the spot where a 
head had been a moment before. One fellow, as if to test 
my marksmanship, pushed his hat around the corner of the 
barn. I knew it was not his head, but I sent a ball through 
it just the same. 

While they were under cover I galloped over the brow 
of the hill far enough so that my horse was hidden and the 
lower part of my body also. And there I halted. I was not 
afraid of their killing me until they got hold of my money, 
or became convinced of their defeat. I halloed to them and 
asked what they wanted. Their answer was a white rag fas- 
tened to a stick which they hoisted. I called to them to send 
one man forward, and when he had come a short way I sig- 
naled to him that he must come unarmed. But when he was 
within one hundred and fifty yards of me I ordered him to 
stop. He then shouted to me his bluff of putting my com- 
panion to death if I did not pay ranson. Of course I refused. 
Then they said "Frenchie" wanted to see me before he was 
shot. So I allowed them to bring him forth. And when they 
had left I went to him, but could hardly restrain myself from 
blowing the traitor's head off. After I had fully admired his 
superb acting and his pleading for his life I put him to the 
test by offering to spring from my horse and cut him loose, 



40 Joseph yead; or 

and told him I knew he could make his escape if he wished, 
but I had lost confidence in his honesty. I told him I knew 
he had followed me to try to learn where my money was hid- 
den. I also told him he was a miserable sneak, and I believed 
now that he had intended to kill me when I knocked him 
down and he had pretended to be a sleep-walker. But he still 
acted his part, and even asked me why I did not shoot him for 
a traitor if I believed him to be one. His acting was so per- 
fect I could hardly resist believing him, even when I knew 
him to be false as Satan. I tried to scare him by pretending 
I would kill him on the spot if he did not tell me the truth. 
He still acted his part, even with my revolver pointed at 
his heart. 

I finally ended the conference by telling him that I would 
fight to the last, and if I got a chance at him when he was 
not bound and disarmed he could expect the worst I could 
give him. He still held his nerve, for he coolly accused me 
of taking this method to avoid paying him the last week's 
wages, whereupon I wrapped a ten-dollar bill around a rifle 
cartridge and tossed it to him with the remark that he might 
consider that a declaration of war. I then signaled the rob- 
bers to come and get their man, and I at once rode to a 
good shelter of rocks and prepared for battle, which began 
in earnest as soon as "Frenchie" was back among them. I 
dismounted and, to test their real intentions, as well as their 
marksmanship, placed my hat on a stick of wood and elevated 
it above the rocks. This proved that they would not hesitate 
to take my life, and that they knew how to shoot as well, for 
three bullets pierced my hat in an instant. I jerked my hat 
down from the stick and clapped it on my head and popped 
my head up from another position, as it was necessary for me 
to see what their plans were. I had barely ducked my head 
behind the rock when two bullets whizzed just above, almost 
grazing my scalp. 

The moment's view I had taken of the enemy proved I 
was in immediate danger, for two men were advancing on my 
shelter with rifles trained on me so as to smother my fire 
by shooting me the moment I showed myself, while two of the 
other villians were circling to the left of me so as to get in 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 41 

position to sweep my breast-work from the side, and the fifth 
man was mounted and had taken a position well to my right, 
so as to prevent me from taking flight behind a long hill in 
that direction. The ground behind me was so open that 
should I try to escape in that direction I would be exposed to 
their rifles and would furnish an easy mark for them. 

I was now in a desperate position, and realized I had 
made a fatal mistake in not making my escape while I had the 
opportunity. As I had no time to amend my mistake, but 
was forced to take my chances in the unequal battle, I drew 
my revolver and began a system of raising up and firing on 
them and quickly ducking under again, I was sure I winged 
one of them the first shot, but when I bobbed up again they 
were both lying flat on the ground, with rifles trained on 
my stone breast-work. I saw at once I could not hope to fire 
on them and get back into safety, so I again tried my hat and 
the block of wood to draw their fire and give them a shot 
while they were throwing another cartridge into the chamber 
of their rifles, but they discovered the trick and it did not 
work but once. 

All this time the two villains were nearing a point where 
they would be able to reach me from the side, so I resolved 
to make a break and take chances rather than be taken there 
or shot to pieces. Accordingly, I mounted my horse and made 
a dash northwest along and under the brow of the long ridge 
toward where I knew the mounted robber was stationed. I 
felt I had an equal chance in that direction, for there was but 
one against me. 

It was well I started at the moment I did, for I had only 
reached a clump of black pines when the two circling bandits 
opened fire on me, but the distance rendered their fire inef- 
fective. I was only out of one danger when I was in another, 
for I discovered the mounted robber only a few hundred yards 
ahead. As I was preparing to give him battle I discovered I 
was under fire from the top of the ridge, where "Frenchie" 
stood working his Winchester on me from behind a big tree. 
I was not very much alarmed at this turn of affairs, for I 
knew that weasel-eyed villain could not hit a flock of barns, 
except by accident. And even if he had not been there I had 



42 Joseph yead; or 

my hands full, for the mounted enemy was coming toward me 
at full gallop, firing his revolver at me as he came. I pulled 
up and, with a well-directed shot, pierced the brain of the rob- 
ber's horse, and could not refrain from a hearty laugh when 
I saw the rider go sprawling on the ground and his rifle- 
stock break into fragments against a rock in the fall. 

I now crossed the ridge and made south and was clear 
of them and in no further danger. I made a circle with the in- 
tention of getting into my cabin, where I had plenty to eat and 
could get a supply to last me for a few days, until I could find 
my way to some gold camp or back to Boise City. As I was 
thus forming my plans, and at the same time putting as much 
space between myself and my enemies as possible, I saw a 
pack-train coming toward me up the canon some two miles 
to the south. I hastened toward the pack-train, and as I ap- 
proached it my joy may be imagined when I learned it was 
my old companion and guide, Teddy, and another mountain 
ranger. 

After a hasty explanation Ted and his companion (who 
was presented to me by the name of "Happy Jack") were 
ready to give battle. So we left the jacks to browse along the 
gulch while we went forward to renew the fight. We reached 
the cabin, but saw no one near. We then went upon the 
ridge so as to get a view of the surrounding country, and 
discovered four horsemen and two footmen crossing a ridge 
of hills about a mile west of us. "Happy Jack" was anxious 
to give them chase, but I did not see anything to be gained 
by it. Ted and Jack both argued that we owed a duty to 
honest miners and packmen, as well as society, to put those 
bandits to death. But I would not hear to any such argu- 
ment, for there was a greater chance for us to be the losers, 
for they out-numbered us two to our one. So the war came 
to an end. 

"Happy Jack" went to bring up the pack-train, while 
Ted and I went over the late — I will not say battle-field, for 
it was more like a race-course, over which I ran (because I 
could not fly!). We found the dead horse, which had been 
left as he fell, and we appropriated the saddle, bridle and other 
accoutrements. On our way back we went to the spot where 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 43 

the robbers were when I thought I had winged one of them 
and we found evidence that one of them had received a slight 
wound. 

We returned to the cabin, where the packs had arrived, 
and, after the stores were cared for and the camp put in shape, 
I recounted my experience, not forgetting the perfidy of 
"Frenchie." Ted explained that the delay in his coming was 
caused by his not being able to come himself nor find any one 
to do so. He also explained that he had come prepared to 
take me back to Boise, provided I was tired of this wild life, 
but if not "Happy Jack" would stay with me if I wished him 
to do so. 

Ted told me that Jack was true blue, and he then handed 
me a bunch of letters, many of which were signed by people 
I knew in Denver and all of which bore evidence of the high 
character and esteem in which "Happy Jack" was regarded 
by the writers. One of the letters said that money and other 
valuables could be intrusted to his keeping with absolute 
safety. This letter was signed by Mr. Johnson, of Denver, 
with whom I was well acquainted, and I further knew him 
to be interested in some gold properties, the gold from which 
had to be transported many miles over the mountains by pack- 
trains. Therefore, this letter was highly satisfactory as a 
recommendation, especially so as I knew Mr. Johnson's sig- 
nature and the peculiar monogram on the stationery. 

It was now settled that "Happy Jack" was to stay with 
me, as I had fully determined to spend the winter here, for 
even had I wished to return to Boise I would not have done 
so now, and abandon the people against whom I knew the 
bandits were intending robbery, if not murder. I was fully 
resolved to hunt out those people and warn them of their im- 
pending danger. 

When I learned that Ted must return to Boise and fill 
out his term of employment as per contract I did not tell 
him of the plot against the pack-train I had overheard the 
robbers planning, as I deemed it best to not do so. 

For the next three or four days the three of us worked 
hard chopping logs, with which we doubled the thickness of 
the cabin, and also the stable, and filled in between with dirt 



44 Joseph yead; or 

and gravel. We hewed out heavy log doors and windows and 
set them in grooves so they might be pushed in or out of the 
openings, thus providing a stronghold against attack by ene- 
mies as well as cold. "Frenchie" and I had cut grass in the 
valley and stacked it up against the stable for hay. So we 
were now in fine shape for the winter, as Ted would take all 
the pack- jacks with him to Boise, where they would be 
roughed through the long winter, and we would keep only 
the saddle horses with us. 

As soon as Ted was gone I disclosed the plot of the ban- 
dits to "Happy Jack," and we at once began exploring the 
country to the northwest of us in order that we might find 
the probable trail over which the threatened pack-train would 
be likely to pass. We used our horses as pack animals while 
we went on foot, and at night we camped in the open, as we 
could not take the tent, which could be easily dispensed with, 
while provisions for ourselves and grain for our horses we 
must have. 

We established a camp at a point about eighty miles 
northwest of the home cabin we had left, and "Happy Jack" 
returned with both horses and brought sufficient supplies to 
last us for two months or more. During this interval I made 
explorations in every direction, but had not discovered any- 
thing of importance. So, when Jack returned we set about in 
earnest to cover the ground as fast as possible, each going sep- 
arate ways. We agreed that we would meet at camp at the 
end of the fourth day, and, in case one of us did not appear, 
the other should make search for him by following in the 
direction we had taken, and in the radius we had agreed not 
to go beyond, except unavoidably. 

We had kept this up for nearly two weeks without result, 
and it was now nearing the middle of October and I grew 
anxious, for we had not met a single man, nor had we seen 
anything that amounted to a trail. So, on the next day I chose 
that my route for the succeeding three days should be to the 
southwest of our camp, and I bounded my limit only by the 
Snake river, for I was resolved to take a peak in the range 
of mountains between the Salmon and Snake rivers. So 
when I left Jack, who went northwest, I made haste for Sal- 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 45 

mon river and pushed on without stop, except for a short 
rest, and reached the river by nightfall, and by 10 o'clock 
the next day I was in the foothills of the mountain range, 
I now climbed up on a high place in the foothills and could 
see the end of the mountain chains, so I knew I was not far 
from the place the robbers had described, and where they said 
the pack-train would cross the range of mountains. 

I was sure the robbers were hidden not far from here, 
so I secreted my horse in a thicket that surrounded a park 
which was covered with grass. I gave the horse plenty of 
rope so that he could feed upon the grass and drink from a 
pool of clear water which was formed by a spring upon the 
side of a cliff. I stored my saddle and blankets in a sort of 
cave, which was hidden by button willows, took my rifle and 
pair of revolvers and continued my scouting on foot. 

I proceeded with caution, for I was sure I was at the 
proper place, and was aware that a false step would be fatal 
to my success, and, perhaps, cost me my life. Night came 
on, and, as yet, I had discovered nothing. But I hoped to 
locate the robbers' renclevous after dark by the light of their 
camp-fires, so I concluded not to return to my horse that night. 

I placed myself at as prominent a point as I could and 
Matched for their fires until 10 o'clock, when I gave up for 
that night and crawled between two large rocks that offered 
me protection from the cool night air. The warm sun had 
tempered the rocks for my comfort and I soon fell into a 
light sleep, from which I was suddenly aroused by something 
— I didn't know what — and on peering out I saw a dark form 
crossing the hillside about fifty yards from me. I was in 
such a cramped position between the rocks I could not move, 
or use my rifle, without making a noise. So I lay still and 
watched. I soon discovered it was a man, and when he turned 
his side to me, just as he was about to pass from sight at a 
short turn of the hill, I recognized him to be none other than 
"Frenchie." 

I extricated myself as quickly as possible and ran to the 
point of the hill as lightly as I could, but "Frenchie" had 
vanished as completly as if he had been a shadow. I did not 
try to follow that imp of darkness, for I knew it was useless, 
even had I known which direction he had gone. 



46 Joseph tead; or 

I kept watch and fully expected "Frenchie" to return, 
for I believed he was carrying intelligence to the robbers as 
to the location of the pack-train, and I resolved to capture 
him, or kill him in the attempt, on his return. And I cen- 
sured myself for not remaining on watch longer, for had I 
done so I could have easily taken him. I was sorry I did not 
tell "Frenchie" I had overheard their plot at my cabin, as 
that would have changed their plans ; but it was now too late. 

While I was thus meditating two or three hours slipped 
by, when I heard the rapid discharge of fire-arms, and I was 
sure the sound came from the west. I at once started for the 
firing, for it seemed to me it could be nothing but a midnight 
attack on those whom I felt were my friends. Although I 
had never seen them, my constant watching for them in order 
that I might serve them and warn them of their danger had 
taken possession of my very soul and had endeared them to 
me to such an extent that their safety was my paramount 
thought and desire. 

I had gone only about one-fourth of a mile when the 
firing ceased and I could no longer be guided by it. But on 
I tramped until I came to a steep incline that was the abrupt 
ending of the ridge along which I had traveled. At the foot 
of this hill I discovered a smouldering camp-fire. I picked 
my way down the incline and, as I drew near the camp-fire, 
found evidence of a stubbornly contested battle. There were 
many empty cartridges strewn on the ground in a circle, which 
showed the attacked party had met the attacking in perfect 
order. 

I now circled the camp for some distance, but found 
no evidence that the battle had been attended by fatalities on 
either side, which seemed very strange when I considered the 
number of shots fired. 

As there was nothing further for me to do I began to 
retrace my steps, and as I gained the summit of the ridge 
leading back toward my horse I was very much fatigued and 
sat down to rest, and for the second time that night I fell 
asleep. I could not have slept more than an hour when I 
was awakened by the whinny of a horse and I sprang to my 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 47 

feet. The whinny was repeated, and by the sound I knew the 
horse was on the highland beyond me and the scene of the 
midnight battle. 

I at once set out to learn the whyf ore of the lone horse, 
for I was sure the horse w?^ alone; otherwise he would not 
have called. So I again c^eended the steep hill, but this 
time I evaded the camp by passing further down the gulch. 
About half way down the hill I came upon a Winchester rifle 
lying at the foot of a very steep place on the hill-side. I 
lighted several matches, and by their light discovered marks 
on the hill-side which proved that the gun had been dropped 
at some place further up the hill, but had slid down to where 
I found it. 

I climbed up and examined the soft dirt on a kind of 
shelving bench above the steep portion of the hill and there 
found a man's tracks, and just above the place where the gun 
was located the man had evidently fallen down, and in his fall 
had droped his rifle, which had slid down the hill to where I 
found it. I did not need two rifles, yet I took this one with 
me thinking it might furnish a clue to future discovery. 

I now crossed the gulch and climbed its opposite bank 
and struck out in the direction I believed the horse was located. 
The gray dawn of morning was appearing in the eastern hori- 
zon, and by its assistance I scanned the hills and gulches as 
thoroughly as the twilight would permit. 

As I reached the summit of a high ridge of hills and was 
about to descend into a bunch of trees and undergrowth of 
cedar bush I was startled by the neigh of a horse not over 
one hundred feet away, and as I proceeded to cautiously ap- 
proach the place where the horse was hidden I was still more 
startled by the muzzle of a rifle leveled at my head, accom- 
panied by a feminine voice commanding me to "Stop, or I 
fire!" It at once dawned upon me that this was the lady 
spoken of by the bandits, and, therefore, she was a member 
of the party attacked at the camp in the gulch a few hours 
before. 

So I laid my rifles down, retreated a few steps, and sat 
down upon a stone and leaned back against a bank of dirt. 
Then I began to speak to her and said : 



48 Joseph yead; or 

"My good woman I am not a bandit ; I came here not to 
harm you, but to protect yon. And I believe I can help you 
more than you know, if you will trust me." 

"Then, if you are not a robber, who are you ?" she asked. 
"And how am I to know you are not a bandit ?" 

I then told her of how I had overheard the bandits plot- 
ting to take the pack-train and fully explained how "Happy 
Jack" and I had sought to find the pack-train and give them 
timely warning. When I spoke of "Happy Jack" she asked 
me to describe my "Mr. Happy Jack," and after I had done 
as she requested she asked if I could tell the name of anyone 
that "Happy Jack" had associated with in the pack business, 
and when I named Mr. Johnson, of Denver, and told her my 
name, she said: 

"Well, Mr. Eiley, though I know you not, a Woman 
must learn that Man is either her best friend or her worst 
enemy ; for so I have been taught by my dear old father, who 
is — as he says — only a man. But ah ! such a man. 

At this she ceased speaking as if words to express further 
description had failed to present themselves. I waited in 
silence for a few minutes before she continued : 

"Mr. Eiley, were it not for a discovery I made last night 
I would not have any fear of those bandits returning, for I 
could satisfy them with gold should they return. But since 
I made the discovery I did I know I must have protection 
from some source." 

I began to reassure her of my honorable intentions, when 
she interrupted me by asking me to listen to what she was 
about to say. So I heard her in silence as she made the fol- 
lowing proposition : 

"Mr. Eiley, for that is the name you claim to own, jf 
you will swear to me by the memory of your mother — for if 
you are a bandit her name is more sacred to you than the 
name of God — that you will protect me from the villain whom 
1 recognized last night as one of the band of robbers and 
murderers, in exchange for that protection I will lead you 
to the treasure that was being transported for shipment by 
our pack-train. If you do not so swear, then T will protect 
myself to the last and will die by my own hand rather than 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 49 

fall into the hands of the man whom I believe to be the leader 
of that band of outlaws who I fear have murdered our kind 
neighbors in that valley of death. Mr. Kiley, this treasure of 
which I speak is a tempting prize for such men as you may 
be — but I pray God you are not — and I will now add I hope 
you are not, for I can see your face and I see no marks 
of crime stamped thereon. Mr. Kiley, Mr. Riley, will you 
swear ?" 

She then seemed to await my answer. So I hastened 
to say: 

"My dear young lady, put away your fears, for you may 
have need of all your courage, as well as strength, to help you 
out of this danger, which I now see is double. For no doubt 
you have good reasons to suspect treachery at the hands of 
the villain you describe as a man you would escape even 
through death by your own hand. I ask not a ransom at your 
hands, all I wish is your confidence and full and perfect 
obedience on your part, at least until we are in safety; then 
you may command and I will obey. I will not ask of your 
treasure, and I now advise you to leave it where it is, and 
when we are out of danger your friends can recover it. Come 
my dear M — m — " 

"Miss Gladys Yead," she supplied, "who will trust you, 
Mr. Riley, not because I must, but because I know you are 
true, and that God has sent you in answer to my prayers." 

When she ceased speaking she glided from behind the 
cedar that had hidden her from my view and sank on her 
knees with her hands clasped and raised to Heaven in a silent 
prayer. I bowed my head in reverence until she had con- 
cluded and again spoke to me saying, "Mr. Riley, I am now 
ready to obey you, and I am sure God is our strength." 

As I lifted my eyes I beheld a well-matured young wo- 
man, but with such a youthful appearance one would not place 
her age above eighteen at the most. Her hair was a light 
brown, as were her eyes. She was of medium height, and even 
though she was encased in a heavy cloak its ample folds could 
not completely hide the exquisite and graceful form she pos- 
sessed. Her complexion was wondrous fair, and owing to 



50 Joseph yead; or 

the pallor of her face caused from fatigue and suffering she 
looked like marble. 

I arose from my seat of stone and raised my hat, and, 
to put her (and myself as well) at ease, said, "Good morning, 
Miss Gladys, may I now bring your horse, for it is time we 
had some breakfast." 

"I am ready to do as you direct," she said. "But first, 
Mr. Eiley, I will ask you to stay here until I return, which 
I will do in a few minutes." I bowed assent and when she 
disappeared around the bush (where, I afterward learned, she 
went to secrete the treasure) I climbed up the side of the hill 
carrying both my own and the rifle I had found. 

When I had reached a point a little way up the hillside 
I stopped and began examining the rifle I had found, and 
was pleased to learn its caliber was the same as my own. So 
my cartridges could be fired from it as well as from my 
own rifle. 

I now opened its chamber to test its working order and 
to my surprise the shell it cast from the chamber was a blank, 
and in place of the leaden bullet there was nothing but a cone 
of paper. By the time I had finished the examination of this 
one cartridge Miss Gladys came toward where I stood leading 
her horse, which showed marks of fine breeding. 

When Miss Gladys came up I told her I had discovered 
there had been a traitor in the camp of her friends, which 
explained why they had been so easily overpowered. I asked 
her if there was a John Davis among the escort of her pack- 
train. She said "Yes, there was," and hastily added, "But 
I know he is no traitor." I then pointed to the name of John 
Davis cut on the butt of the gun. She looked at me in be- 
wilderment and asked me where I got that rifle and why I 
carried two. I now explained the finding of the gun, and at 
once pumped every shell from the magazine. All proved to 
be blank cartridges, and as there were five left in the maga- 
zine this proved that Mr. Davis had fired- at least ten shots. 
So, if all the other men had done as well, and there had been 
leaden bullets instead of paper in the cartridges, an hundred 
men would have been put to death or flight under such a fire. 

I now asked if she had seen any strangers about during 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 51 

their trip. She answered, "No, only a little Frenchman, 
whom they had overtaken and who had traveled with them, 
and who was in camp when the attack was made, although 
she did not remember seeing him at that time as she was too 
excited to notice anything but what she was doing, for she 
was in such haste to saddle her horse and get away with the 
treasure (which did not belong to her father, but to a society 
of people who were followers of her father). She then de- 
scribed how she had led Madge (her saddle mare) up a canon 
with the sacks of gold and some food stowed away in can- 
vas bags. 

Here I interrupted her to make inquiry about the food, 
as I was weak from hunger. She said she had plenty for 
awhile, and was sorry she had not thought about my being 
hungry before, and she suggested that we go back in the woods 
where she had found a spring, to which I readily gave assent. 
As I was uneasy for fear the bandits would be looking for the 
treasure, if not for the young lady, who, it seems, was known 
to at least one of them. 

I hung Mr. Davis* gun on the saddle and told Miss Gladys 
to go and arrange for our breakfast while I made a detour of 
discovery. So when she disappeared among the trees I cauti- 
ously crawled to the high ground and scanned the country, 
but seeing no signs of danger, returned and joined Miss 
Gladys at the spring. As we partook of a cold breakfast she 
told me that her father had started with the party, but was 
recalled to attend the funeral of a neighbor and that he had 
expected to overtake the "pack" within a few hours. She 
expressed fears for his safety, as he was now over-due. 

I explained to her that her father was not in any danger, 
as it was clear to my mind that the bandits wished to avoid 
murder if possible, which would arouse the state and the mili- 
tary would be sent to hunt the murderers, while simple rob- 
bery would not attract so much attention, and for the further 
reason that but few men sink so low as to take the life of their 
fellow man unnecessarily. In support of my reasoning I re- 
ferred to the blank cartridges in Mr. Davis* rifle. 

I here described "Frenchie" so minutely she exclaimed: 



52 Joseph yead; or 

"Mr. Biley, you have seen and know him/ otherwise you could 
not describe him so perfectly." 

To which I made answer: "Miss Yead, it matters not 
whether I have or have not seen him, I know him to be the 
smoothest villian in these hills, and I know he is the man who 
has in some way removed all the cartridges from the fire-arms 
of your friends and substituted the harmless blanks, and this 
accounts for the fact that not a man of your party was killed. 
The robbers well knew the fusillade of shots your friends fired 
upon them was harmless, so they advanced upon the defenses 
without returning a shot. Your friends, seeing the advancing 
bandits were impervious to leaden bullet's, concluded they 
were devils instead of men, so became frightened and fled in 
a panic." 

By this time we had finished our meal, so I told Miss 
Gladys I must find a way to get my horse and then keep a 
lookout for the approach of her father, as well as "Happy 
Jack." Accordingly, I told her she had best stay hidden until 
I returned, but I thought it best to get further away from the 
late camp of her friends, for I was sure the bandits would 
return for the booty at least, and when they did not find it 
with the other goods they would suspect she had taken charge 
of it and would make systematic search until they found her. 

"But, Mr. Eiley, you will please not ask me to stay here 
alone, for there are no dangers I would not risk rather than 
stay here. Besides, I can be of service, as I can point out to 
you the route my father will come, and, possibly, can do some- 
thing to prevent his falling into the hands of the bandits." 
So, after I had made another circle and concluded there was 
no danger of discovery, we set out to go to my horse, which 
we reached in perfect safety. After I had saddled my horse 
and fed both horses grain, which I had in a bag, we climbed 
up a hill where we could get our bearings and locate the trail 
as nearly as possible. As we reached the summit Miss Gladys 
pointed out the trail, which was less than a mile from where 
we stood. I took a full sweep of the country, and as I now 
had my field glass I was enabled to see well into the forest 
further up the mountain side, as well as the woodland through 
which we must pass in order to meet Mr. Yead. 






THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 53 

I was now about to discontinue further search, but took 
one more look into the hills above the fatal camp of the night 
before, when I saw five horsemen emerging from the forest 
and making systematic search of the ground we had so re- 
cently quitted. 

I now let my glass range slowly along the hills, as I was 
anxious to locate the direction from whence we were threat- 
ened with discovery, as well as to pick a way we might, with 
the least danger, make our escape, for to stay where we were 
would only insure our capture. There was no possible chance 
of defense, for the small hills and gullies, which were skirted 
with trees and underbrush, afforded protection to the bandits, 
and they could approach within a few yards of us without our 
seeing them. 

I now made a discovery which made immediate flight 
imperative. Upon a high point in the hills, not over a half- 
mile from us, stood "Frenchie" signaling to the bandits. I 
knew by his actions that he had discovered us and was now 
engaged in setting the bandits upon us. I would have been 
glad to have mounted my horse and run him down had there 
been any chance of success, but that was out of the question. 

I hastily informed my companion in distress of our dan- 
ger, and, after telling her we must fly, we hurried to our horses 
and were soon "scudding" up the valley toward the place 
where we could cross the Salmon river and gain the trail 
that led us to safety on the other side. 

As we gained the level country toward the crossing I 
looked for the enemy, and saw they had given chase and were 
making for the river crossing, thinking to cut us off by reach- 
ing it before us. 

I now told Miss Gladys that our success all depended on 
the mettle of our horses, and asked her if she thought her 
horse could develop greater speed and maintain it for five or 
six more miles. 

Her voice showed not the least tremor of excitement or 
fear as she answered: "Mr. Riley, fear not for Madge, for 
if your horse can show speed and endurance equal to her, then 
his superior is not in Idaho." 

When she had finished speaking she leaned forward, and 



54 JOSEPH tead; oe 



™!T fUrth ^ ^ in \ the noble little animal went skimming 
over the ground like a bird on the wing g 

I could see by measuring the distance with my eyes that 
if we could keep up this pace we could be across the r7v7r and 

S^S^J^ ^ h ° meWard ^ * the *» *»*& 
Miss Gladys now cheeked her flying horse and wh P n r 

ozz:^ her sa , id v " Mr - ****>*& jois£ n L w Xr 

On we flew for nearly two miles, when we reached the ford 
nearly a mile ahead of the enemy, but even at that distance 
they fired upon us but their bullets fell short 

We plunged into the river and our horses gulped a few 
swallows of water, then, being urged we passed I on t L SL 

hTw b S° nd ^° ll0Wing the t?ail SSd Tm£ Glad" s J°d ed 
back to the settlement from whence they had started 

1 now sought to evade further pursuit by bearing to the 

Si*, k i t ; ^ We struck int0 ^e trail again, and as I 
avoided ^ 1 ^ tW ° men ^ that P art of ^ trail we had 

ontl.wT ?f * a ° ti0nS l ***** them to be members of the 

e P u" we had maS: 1 ^ ^ ^ PMMd them ^ makil * «* -- 

^ We i aSt l ly T de for a turn in the trail two or three hun- 
dred yards ahead, thinking to escape their notice while they 
were .fall watching for us from the opposite dirlct Ton Z 
this we were disappointed, for they had discovered us already 

fresh T e ^ re , ag T am f01 f d t0 flee > and as their horses were 
I 11 Z / ^^ do f om ^S to even up this handicap 
Jncedahead of us and could see that the trail led up an 
incline where we would be exposed to their rifles, wh ch wouW 
result in our horses being shot from under us So at the turn 
of the hill as Miss Gladys was ahead of me on the tra 1 ™ 
a m P at th?f hOTSe ™A S P ran ^om the saddle and took careful 

bed, T J TT* J 0136 " T S °° n had one less horse at our 
heels I then took two more shots in quick succession 7t 

& I £ r d bandit ' ^ the W > b2t f-^TTand t 
either. I then discovered the young lady had stopped in her 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 55 

flight and was returning and I mounted my horse to continue 
my flight. 

Just as I swung my leg over the saddle I felt a sharp 
pain shoot through my thigh; and as I gained my saddle 
another pierced my left shoulder. I at once realized that I 
was wounded, but I was in the saddle again, and, though my 
left arm was benumbed, I forced it to work until I had shot 
the other horse, which was within two hundred yards of me. 
I now rained bullets thick and fast upon the two unhorsed 
bandits, which forced them to cover behind nearby rocks, from 
whence they returned the fire. By this time I had experienced 
two more sharp pains, one in my side and one at my left hip. 

I now whirled my horse up the incline at full speed. 
Miss Gladys, seeing me again on the retreat, made haste to 
keep out of my way until we reached the summit. She then 
stopped until I came up, and anxiously inquired if I was 
hurt. I answered by saying I had received only a scratch, and 
bade her hasten forward with all speed, for I had seen the 
other bandits round a point not over a mile in our rear; by 
this I knew they were still following. We rode on for 3ome 
two or three miles, when I felt I must give up the chase, as I 
was weakened by the wounds I had received, and now knew 
my right thigh was broken. The last I remember was Miss 
Gladys speaking to me, but, though I tried, I could not un- 
derstand her. 

And I thought I had sent her on to escape danger while 
I stopped to get a drink at a beautiful spring. 

Then — again I thought I heard the voice of "Happy 
Jack" talking to me. 

Again — I seemed to be listening to the " 'phone " while 
the bandits were plotting. 

Again — I thought an angel was bathing my hands and 
face with cool water; and that she gave me a drink from a 
golden cup. 

Then I felt myself lifted, and knew I was on a stretcher 
made of tent-cloth and being carried for miles and miles, I 
knew not how many, and, finally, I was allowed to rest in 
peace — and sleep my fill. 



56 Joseph yead; oe 

When at last I awoke and found that drowsy feeling- 
gone I found myself in such a weakened condition that I 
could move only my right hand and head. My right leg was 
in splints and the wounded shoulder and hip were in bandages. 

As I turned my head upon the pillow to get a view of the 
room I was in the first object that attracted my attention was 
a man sitting in an easy-chair in an adjoining room, with 
large folding doors thrown open, reading a book. He sat with 
his side to me so that I could see the side of his face. His 
white, silken hair and white beard revealed to my eyes the 
friend of the "J. Y." pack-train, whom I had followed from 
Boise City to where he had escaped my vigilance during 
the fog. 

I was not surprised in the least, for I had guessed that 
"J. Y." stood for J. Yead, and that when I should see the 
father of Miss Gladys Yead I would again see the man with 
the gray whiskers who had excited my curiosity by selling 
gold dust in Denver. 

I raised my hand to my head and face and found my 
beard had been trimmed to a Vandike and my hair cut 
quite short. 

The moving of my hand had attracted the attention of 
Mr. Yead and he came to me, and, seeing I was fully awake, 
said : "Good morning, Mr. Eiley, I am glad to see you look- 
ing so well, and I trust you will not attempt to move about 
even if you are able to do so, for your recovery depends upon 
your remaining quiet for a few days at least." 

"I shall do as you direct," I said, "but first I must know 
where Miss — I mean the young lady — is, and if she is well — 
and if she escaped harm." 

Mr. Yead now took my hand and said : "Gladys is per- 
fectly well, and, owing to the courage and self-sacrificing ser- 
vice of the gentleman to whom I owe the gratitude of a father, 
she has been returned to her f ather's arms ; and she would be 
as happy now as at any time in her life were it not for the 
accident that befell her deliverer, whom I will thank again 
when he is fully recovered. But he will now do me a favor 
by resting and refraining from talk, as I see he is yet very 
weak." 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 57 

I now turned my head that I might hide the tears of joy 
I felt springing to my eyes, and as I did so I saw Miss Gladys 
tip-toeing into the room with a bunch of cut flowers, which 
she placed in a vase. She turned her face toward my bed and 
then her eyes sought her father. My eye-lids were now so 
heavy I could not resist their weight, and they closed over my 
sight in spite of my efforts to the contrary. 

I then heard Miss Gladys say: "What is the matter, 
dear papa? Is Mr. Eiley worse ?" And she at once came 
lightly to my bedside and I felt her hand on my forehead. 

"No, Gladys, he is now awake, but very weak, and if we 
do not talk too much, but keep him quiet, he will recover/ 1 
answered Mr. Yead. 

I must have fallen asleep, for I remembered no more. 

When I again awoke and opened my eyes I saw a stranger 
sitting near my bedside, who, upon discerning that I was 
awake and looking at him, asked if he "could serve me in any 
way," and, as I was feeling refreshed and hungry as well, I 
told him that I would be pleased to get back to the habit of 
eating, which I was sorry for ever discarding, whereupon my 
stranger friend went out of the room and Mr. Yead soon ap- 
peared with a bowl of soup, and as he sat by the bed and 
arranged a white napkin preparatory to feeding me a small 
quantity of the soup, which I thought was rather a light diet, 
he greeted me with a pleasant smile, and said : 

"I am glad to find you so much improved since yesterday 
morning, Mr. Eiley, and am gratified to see you exhibit the 
good symptom of hunger." 

I thanked him and said I am feeling fine, Mr. Yead; 
but you mean this morning, do you not ? 

He hastily said: "Why — yes I meant this morning to 
be sure, but I am so anxious for your welfare I had forgotten. 
But you must not talk more now, my friend, for I should 
fear I was wronging the man to whom I owe so great a 
debt of—" 

I here stopped him and said : "Mr. Yead, please say no 
more, for I have heard of men being killed by kindness as well 
as bullets. Then, again, you have no doubt noticed that some 
men's tempers have been soured by imbibing too freely of the 



58 Joseph yead; or 

glory heaped upon them by their well-meaning friends; for 
when glory in undue quantities is thrust upon persons who 
have not really merited the honor it is liable to so turn their 
heads with vainglory that when they must descend from that 
high pinnacle they are likely to fall and cripple themselves 
for life. So my friend, be careful." 

When I had finished with this long speech Mr. Yead was 
shaking with suppressed laughter and laughingly said : 

"Well, Mr. Eiley, I accept your truce, especially since I 
see you are regaining strength so rapidly." And when he 
noticed me wistfully viewing the empty bowl he added: "I 
dare not allow you to take more food now, for it is not best." 

At this point I heard the voice of Miss Gladys softly 
asking if she might come in, and I answered it myself by 
saying: "Come in, Miss Gladys; I am sure your father will 
allow me the pleasure of saying 'Good evening 5 to you, al- 
though he refuses me more food." 

As she came to the door Mr. Yead motioned her to a 
chair and said: "I am glad to see you looking so well this 
morning, for I am compelled to go to the Church meeting, 
and will not return before evening, and as it is now after 7 
o'clock I must be off." 

Just before he left the room he cautioned his daughter, 
as well as myself, against too much food being allowed me for 
at least four or five days yet. 

As soon as he was out of the room I asked Miss Gladys to 
tell me how long it had been since she placed the flowers in 
the vase. She said they had been there since yesterday morn- 
ing, and she would have them removed. I understood at once 
that she thought I was tired of them, so hastened to tell her 
not to do so, as they were quite fresh. And I added I had 
another motive for asking the question, which had no refer- 
ence to the condition of the flowers. I then asked her if 
within the last hour she had not placed her hand on my fore- 
head, and thus caused me to fall asleep. She arose without 
answering my question, and came over to my bedside and 
begged me to try to rest, and said she must not allow me to 
talk. I told her I was not in need of rest, but was in need of 
information, for if I had not seen her place the flowers in the 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 59 

vase and had not felt her hand laid on my forehead not over 
an hour before, I was sure I was suffering from a more 3erious 
ailment than a few gunshot wounds. 

When I had finished, she began to laugh or cry, I could 
not fully determine which, for it sounded like laugh but 
looked like cry ; and she was saying the while : "I am so glad ! 
I am so glad !" as she brushed the tears from her cheek. 

"Why, Miss Gladys," I said, "are you really glad I have 
lost my mind ?" 

"No, Mr. Kiley," she replied, "I am so glad that you have 
finally found your mind and that you are so much improved 
and do not sink into unconscious sleep, as you have been doing 
for so long. I now see," she continued, "that you remember 
my placing my hand on your head yesterday morning, when 
I was sure you were worse, for I saw my father standing by 
your bedside, and, though he tried to hide his emotion, yet I 
was sure he was weeping." 

"Well, Miss Gladys," I said, "tell me if a light touch of 
a lady's hand can send one to sleep for twenty-four hours, as 
it seems to have done for me — in this case at least. Then 
how long have I been asleep since the rough usage I received 
at the hands of those bandits ? And how came I here ? And 
how did you escape? I must also find out about my friend 
'Happy Jack' and my faithful horse and — " 

"Mr. Eiley! you must stop or you will surely go into 
another sleeping spell! Please, now, don't talk, but listen." 

I did as she bade me and her voice had a soothing effect 
on me, as well as what she said. 

" 'Happy Jack' and your horse are safe and in good 
health. 'Snoozer,' as I call your horse (for I heard you ?o 
call him), is in the stable with his nose in the hay and oats 
trough by turns. "Happy Jack" is staying a mile down the 
valley, but comes every day to see you. We had to send him 
away or we would have had another invalid in the house, for 
the noble fellow would not leave your bedside night nor day. 
So we finally got him down where he is, but only after he 
was almost sick. Now for your first question : You received 
your wounds four weeks ago. Our rescue happened in this 
way : While you went south and was nearby when the attack 



60 

on our camp was made, "Happy Jack" pushed farther north 
than he had before, and it so happened he met my father (who 
had been delayed much longer than he expected) at the point 
where he came upon the trail. "Happy Jack" and my father 
are old acquaintances, and had been across the trail together 
in Nevada and Utah. So they were not long in coming to an 
understanding, and seeing the danger to which we were ex- 
posed they pushed on together as fast as they could to where 
they met the frightened men, who had fled. The latter could 
not understand why, when they stood solidly together and 
fired on the advancing bandits, volley after volley, all directed 
on the leader, their combined bullets (as they supposed) did 
not stop the mad rush of the on-coming robbers, and they did 
as you described (when you found the blank cartridges in 
Mr. Davis' gun), fled in panic, believing they had been at- 
tacked by uncanny beings. My father turned them back to 
duty, which was not hard to do when they learned that I was 
left to the tender mercy of the renegades. They were all 
hastening on when they came upon us where you had fainted 
away and had fallen from your horse, and I was making fran- 
tic efforts to restore consciousness and revive you by bathing 
your face in water and giving you drink. The men made a 
litter by tacking canvas to long poles, and in this you were 
conveyed here, where we have done all we could to bring you 
back to life, which I am now sure we will accomplish, provided 
I quit talking to you and do not allow you to talk, which I 
positively forbid. So now you just keep real quiet and rest." 

When she had finished I again went to sleep. When I 
next awoke it was late in the afternoon, and I felt so well that 
I wondered if I could not arise, but a slight effort settled that 
question for some time. 

In another week I could sit up, and in three weeks I 
could move about with the assistance of the men. From then 
on I gained strength very fast. But the shattered leg or thigh- 
bone was near two years regaining full strength, owing to the 
many complications that arose from time to time. In the 
meantime I moved about as much as possible for exercise. I 
read many good books and enjoyed beautiful songs. Miss 
Gladys sang and played most beautifully. Mr. Yead made 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 61 

me welcome to his library, which contained many rare books, 
a choice collection of kodak pictures, and a goodly number of 
manuscripts of sermons and other writings which I read with 
great pleasure and profit. I learned from the writings of Mr. 
Yead that he was not only a student of theology and philos- 
ophy, but a thorough scholar and master of many of the 
sciences. 

So time flew on. 



63 Joseph ybad; or 



CHAPTEE III. 

During the time I was recovering from my wounds Mr. 
Yead never by act or word intimated that he recognized me 
as the man who followed him from Denver, although many 
months later he told me how he had discovered the fact that 
I was dogging his footsteps and how he had watched my 
spying tactics from the time I followed him from the jewelry 
store in Denver to the place where he had given me the slip 
by taking advantage of the fog in the foot-hills. He ex- 
plained to me how he wished to test my persistence, which 
was his only reason for leaving me in the foot-hills with no 
trail to follow aside from the pleasure of playing a practical 
joke on me. He also told me he had concluded, after some 
few weeks, that I was a weakling and had given up the chase 
at the first reverse and that he had wondered many times what 
had become of me. He said that when he discovered that I 
was surely on his trail he at once became so interested in 
my game that he made careful inquiry as to who I was and 
what I was. He learned at the hotel I had quitted where I 
was from and with whom I was associated; then, by use of 
the wire, he got in communication with people in my old home 
in Kansas. He said that as soon as he was satisfied as to my 
good character he at once entered into the game for the 
fun he derived from it, and intentionally mystified the bill- 
ing of his goods, for my benefit, as much as possible, and 
still insure their not going estray. He said for several weeks 
he hoped I was possessed of the character that forced success 
from failure, but that he had finally given me over as a 
tenderfoot without nerve. He told me how he had recognized 
me on sight when he and "Happy Jack" came up to where 
I had tumbled from my horse, after receiving the wounds, 
and found Gladys bathing my face with water from the moun- 






THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 63 



tain brook in a fruitless endeavor to restore me to conscious- 
ness. I was thus reminded that honest and open methods 
are far more likely to bring quick and full returns, especially 
when there is no antagonism inspired by a sinister motive. 

During the long time I was confined to the house Mr. 
Yead spent many hours with me, reading rare books and dis- 
cussing scientific problems and literature, which I enjoyed 
beyond measure. In this way I learned that he was a graduate 
in medicine and surgery, but practiced his skill only as a 
tribute of love for his fellow men, and that it was to his 
ministrations as physician and surgeon I owed my recovery 
and the perfect use of my right limb. 

One Monday morning Mr. Yead came into the reading- 
room, where I was, and requested me to look up some author- 
ities on a line of subjects which he wished to use in a lecture 
he was preparing, and as I was anxious to busy myself at 
something to pass away the time I set to work as soon as 
he had prepared the subjects for me, under proper headings. 

During the time before dinner the first day of my brief- 
making Mr. Yead was writing at a table at the opposite side 
of the room, but as he folded his pages and enclosed them 
in envelopes I was sure he was writing letters and not lectures. 

I continued my reading and note-making for several days 
and found that the more I read the more interesting the sub- 
ject became, and as Mr. Yead said no more about using my 
brief in his lecture I became convinced that he was leading 
me into a line of reading that he was interested in. To put 
him to the test I asked if he was ready to use the brief I had 
prepared for him, whereupon he seated himself and asked 
me to read my notes. When I had finished he said I had 
brought out just the points he wanted, and if I wished to 
do so I could forego further work along that line, as what 
I had was all he required. He then asked me what I thought 
of the subjects of my research ? 

"To tell you the truth, Mr. Yead/' I said, "if I did not 
know you were an Oracle of God I should accuse you of 
political aspirations, for it looks to me as if the data I have 
gathered would fit a political speech better than a lecture, 
and I will be pleased to hear your ideas of politics, and 



64 Joseph yead; or 

especially party politics, and learn to what party you be- 
long. And, Mr. Yead, I beg your pardon for my seeming 
inquisitiveness," I continued, "but I am anxious to be enlight- 
ened on some other matters concerning yourself and daugh- 
ter." 

"Mr. Riley," he interrupted, "ask all the questions you 
please, and I shall take pleasure in answering them for you 
if I can." 

"Then," said I, "I wish to know why you choose to 
live out here, almost by yourself, among these simple though 
good people that I see here every day, who have, judging 
from their appearances, a strong settlement near here. My 
first impression was that you had come here for your health, 
but I have changed my mind for I see no indication, either 
in you or Miss Gladys, that would suggest disease — past or 
present. I have seen the many expressions of honor and 
love written by friends on the blank leaves of books on the 
date of their presentation; I have learned the place and date 
of your birth, as it is written in the family Bible, and I 
have read the many beautiful sermons I have found in that 
old scrap book on the shelf. These sermons were delivered 
by Rev. Joseph Yead, so the headlines say. In short, Mr. 
Yead, everything I come in contact with tells me of a happy 
and useful past enjoyed in former days in your home in Vir- 
ginia. I would be sorry to allow my inquisitiveness to offend 
you, but I must ask at least one more question, if you will 
permit me?" As Mr. Yead nodded his assent I continued: 
"If you know the man who leads that band of robbers — and 
I am sure you do for the reason that Miss Gladys said she 
knew him, and she stood in such terror of him that I am sure 
she would have taken her own life rather than have fallen 
into his hands — why do you not advise the proper state offi- 
cers that he may be brought to justice?" 

When I had finished speaking, Mr. Yead answered by 
saying: "Mr. Riley, I will be pleased to answer all ques- 
tions, either directly or implied, and give reasons in each case, 
but to do so I may tax your patience, for I believe reasons 
for every answer should be given. Should I say I am a Re- 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 65 

publican, a Democrat or a Socialist and not be able to tell 
why, I had better hold my peace." 

"I shall be pleased to hear yon through to the end," I 
said. 

"Then we will begin at the beginning and dispose of 
the minor questions first. The leader of the outlaw band, 
whose members gave you such rough usage, is the son of a 
good family in Virginia, but a black sheep. He is well edu- 
cated and were it not for his reprehensible habits and dis- 
reputable business he could be a splendid citizen. We met 
him in San Francisco, where he lives a part of the time dur- 
ing the winter, and where, formerly, he assumed a position 
in respectable society, because of his family connections, to 
which he is not entitled, for his real character was unknown 
in the city until recently. The spring that Gladys finished 
her schooling he was a frequent visitor at my house, for I 
kept house in the city during her school days, but I trust 
that it is unnecessary for me to tell you that the man's habits 
and character were then unknown to me. During the pre- 
vious winter he was a guest at many social gatherings of the 
young people and was quite a favorite among them, and the 
older ones as well, for he has native intelligence, is well 
educated and polished in his manner and can act the gentle- 
man equal to the best. My daughter told me a number of 
times that she wished he would go away from town as she 
could not like him or feel at ease in his presence, as lie 
seemed to be acting a part while his real self was hidden. 
I was completely fooled in the man, but Gladys held to her 
aversion for him and I noticed she avoided him. When I 
asked her about it and told her I thought it best not to show 
her dislike for the man in the presence of company. She 
said she had to do so as he had persisted in making love to 
her and she was sure he would propose marriage if she did 
not avoid him. I then told her that I thought she was doing 
the boy an injustice, but I soon learned I was mistaken, 
for at the first opportunity that presented itself he proved 
that a woman's instinct is true, and proposed marriage to 
my daughter. When she refused him he became so angry 
and his conduct was so distasteful I had to close rav house 



66 joseph ybad; or 

to him. He is a wilful, resentful, revengeful man, and will 
not take no for an answer. One evening he was a guest at 
a house and lawn party given by one of Gladys* school mates 
and renewed his attentions and proposal, and on being re- 
pulsed became angry and threatening. He said he would 
crush what he was pleased to call Gladys' high spirit if it 
cost him his life. He said that Gladys should marry him 
or he would see her the mistress of as vile a robber and mur- 
derer as ever walked the earth. He then left the grounds 
and was seen no more in the city while we were there. I 
afterwards learned that he was the leader of a band of high- 
waymen who were robbing stages and travelers as they passed 
upon lonely roads in the hills. This attack on my pack-train 
is his boldest move and his first attempt against me or mine, 
as well as his first appearance north of tTtah and Nevada. 
This, Mr. Eiley, explains why Gladys was in such deadly fear 
of the man, for she believed he would make good his threat 
against her if she fell into his hands. Eather than do 
so she would have taken her own life. We will dismiss 
the distasteful subject when I tell you that I have sent out 
scouts and notified the state authorities of the presence of 
the robbers, and I believe they will soon be driven from the 
country ; in fact word has reached me that they have already 
been driven into the hills of New Mexico. 

"The next question : 'To what party do I belong ¥ My 
answer is none at all. I have not voted since the Civil War. 
Ask me why, and I will answer, because there has been no per- 
manent relief obtained for the common people by or through 
the various political parties that have come into power in the 
last two thousand years. We see one set of men turned out 
of office and another turned in, but the great masses, who 
have no political influence, receive none of the spoils of office, 
but are doomed to incessant labor to support not only the 
office-holders, but the ward heelers as well, for no man, save 
he be an imbecile, is ignorant of the fact that labor pays all 
the bills and that from the product of the producer all wealth 
is derived. We see that if the republicans win the election 
this year the elected officials draw their pay and their adher- 
ents receive appointments to places at the store house of labor 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 67 

and should there not be places for all the political friends 
of the officers there are more created for them. We see these 
new offices parceled out in payment of political debts among 
the friends and political helpers of the successful candidates 
instead of using money. The politicians tax labor to pay 
themselves, and when we change parties we do not change 
anything in f act, for we only elect new men to fill the offices — 
elective and appointive — which is all the change there is." 

"I can see the correctness of your reasoning, as the same 
applies to local affairs; but do you not believe a National 
change of party would relieve the people?" I asked. "And 
if not, why not?" 

"Mr. Riley, I am sure that a change of party nationally 
not only would not relieve the oppression of the producer, 
but, on the contrary, would place greater burdens on him," 
continued Mr. Yead, "and I assign the following reasons for 
my belief, and we can say it is no longer belief, but knowledge. 
If we will but turn to past experience we can plainly see how 
the power of wealth operates to force the people to place its 
men in power. When Grover Cleveland was elected President 
there was still a majority in the house and senate who were 
of the Republican political faith, and there was very little 
change in the laws of the country. The manufacturing cor- 
porations knew Mr. Cleveland was a free-trader. It mattered 
not whether free trade is best or worst for the people, the 
wealthy manufacturers were against it, so they at once began 
a campaign to disturb confidence. They shut down factories, 
even before the tariff was touched at all; they made outcry 
before the people that the President was hoarding the people's 
money in a bursting treasury; they reduced wages and cut 
down their laboring forces all along the line, all of which 
brought on hard times. So confidence became more shaken 
and the result was that Harrison was elected President. Dur- 
ing the four years of his administration matters had not 
fairly settled, but the treasury was almost depleted and there 
was some talk of issuing bonds to relieve the situation. In 
the meantime the people were thinking, and they concluded 
that Cleveland did not have a fair show, for the House and 
Senate were against him, so they rushed in and elected him for 



68 Joseph ybad; or 

the second time. Again, the wealth holders began the same 
tactics of beating down confidence, and as the treasury was 
very low in cash the cry was raised that nothing but gold 
should be the basic money. Very lavish expenditures neces- 
sitated a bond issue in time of peace, the first on record and 
a cry was started to retire the green-backs. As Cleveland 
evinced a determination to maintain the parity of the two 
metals by paying gold for silver or green-backs on demand, 
the monied men made a run on the treasury with silver and 
green-backs until the lawful reserve was reduced below the 
one hundred million mark, and again the sale of bonds was 
forced. Thus the free-trade party was crushed and McKinley, 
the champion of the high tariff, was elected over the most 
popular candidate that ever came before the American people. 
The people had learned that they must elect the candidate 
of the party that was favored by the manufacturing and 
monied interests of the country or they, the people, would be 
refused bread in exchange for their labor. If the people can 
not be led into voting as the monied rulers wish they will 
be driven to do so. If a President, together with a majority 
in the House and Senate, who are for passing laws distasteful 
to the wealth owners are elected then the wealth owners will 
crush the power of congress by closing factories and raising 
the prices of their goods, thus starving the people into sub- 
mission. So, my friend, all parties when elected to power 
are forced to proceed along the same lines as did the party 
before them. The officials simply draw their pay and close 
their eyes to the robberies of the 'system' that Thomas W. 
Lawson tells us of, while the poor, by strenuous efforts, make 
a scanty living and organized wealth, through fictitious values 
of stocks, pile up dividend-paying credits which may be called 
'confidence/ for it has nothing more stable behind it than a 
bag of wind. Yet the people have 'confidence' in the thing 
because it is labeled wealth, and it draws profit as if it was of 
real value/' 

Here Mr. Yead asked me to turn to my brief and see 
how much money there was in the banks of the United States. 
Upon consulting the notes I had made I found that the 
statistics showed that there is deposited in banks of all kinds, 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 69 

including building and loan and trust companies, about four- 
teen billion dollars. 

"Now," said Mr. Yead, "see how much money there is 
in circulation in the United States." 

I found, after deducting the green-backs retired and 
the estimated loss of money by fire and at sea, together with 
the loss in other ways, that there was much less than two 
billion dollars in real currency in existence in the United 
States and but about ten billion in all the world. 

"Now," said Mr. Yead, "as fifteen per cent, of fourteen 
billion dollars is over two billion dollars you can very readily 
see that if fifteen per cent, of all deposits was withdrawn 
from the banks in one day, or in five years, and not redepos- 
ited again, every bank in the United States must be forced 
to the bankruptcy courts. And what is true of this country 
is also true of every other that uses a banking system. 

"But, you ask, what has all this money business to do 
with politics or political parties and I answer nothing at all, 
but it proves that the wind-bag financiers control all parties 
by coining their own fiat money, or value, from the minds of 
the people (the peopled confidence) ; and when they find an 
officer who is disposed to call a halt on that kind of thing 
these same wind-bag security sellers confront the would-be 
honest officer with pictures of failures in the so-called finan- 
cial world, which will shake confidence in the wind-bag stocks 
and bonds, and then the people will ask for their money at 
the banks, and when they find that it is loaned on phantom 
securities they will hoard every dollar they have, and the 
panic is on and will spread to all enterprises, but will hurt 
the producer, the laborer, and the debtor classes most. So 
the would-be honest officer is forced to cease his activity 
or bring suffering upon the heads of the poor and loss upon 
all the industries of the people. There is no way of escape, 
for to tell the truth and force a halt means ruin and perhaps 
anarchy and bloodshed, and to continue the system means 
subjugation of the people to the wind-bag kingdom. And as 
the first condition seems to the honest man to be the worst 
he withholds his hand, and the wind-bag financiers hold their 



tO JOSEPH yead; or 

power and laugh at the discomfiture and fright they have 
given the would-be honest officer.* 

"So, my friend, I can see but one chance of avoiding 
slavery, or perhaps worse, and that is — " 

As Mr. Yead hesitated at this point I was sure I could 
see to what he was leading, so I supplied the word "So- 
cialism !" 

"No," not that, answered Mr. Yead, "but I must confess 
I at one time in life believed it was the true solution ; and as 
I was anxious to lead my people to God first and then to the 
fountain of wisdom where all men could partake of the bounty 
of the God of Nature according to his needs, I preached the 
truth as I saw it and gained the name of being a political 
preacher. This lost me my influence, and after I had studied, 
worked and prayed over the question for months, I discovered 
the weakness in the Socialist plans, or, rather, lack of plans, 
and then by trying to amend the plans of Socialists, or, more 
correctly speaking, to make plans for them, I turned to the 
Word of God and there found the true way; and not only 
that, but I found the present conditions fully described in 
God's Word. Here, Mr. Eiey, I was confronted with a greater 
difficulty, for when I found the light I had no hearers or fol- 
lowers, and this explains why I left my home in Virginia." 

For a few moments Mr. Yead seemed to be mentally 
wandering back over the scenes of his boyhood home and to 
be listening to the Negroes singing while they worked in the 
cotton and the cane, but when he again resumed he continued 
in a more mellow strain. 

"M:r. Kiley," he said, "I have read and re-read the - words 
of Christ where he said: 'How oft would I have gathered 
thee together as a hen gathereth her brood, but ye would not/ 
While reading his words I believe I felt in a measure as he 
felt, for I, too, have in the past sought to follow the Word 
of God and lead my flock in the right way, spiritually as well 
as temporally, but they would not be led. As long as I 
preached Christ and Him crucified, and taught God's love 
and his plan to save man from sin, spiritual sin, and said 



♦The late financial flurry proves that Mr. Yead was right. 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 71 

nothing of God's plan to relieve an enslaved people, all was 
well, and my support was provided and my popularity in 
the ascendency; but when I showed by God's word that he 
had provided a way for the success of his children, not only in 
the spiritual, but also in the business world, and began prov- 
ing that if we would follow his plan all would be provided for 
according to his needs, and every man sit under his own vine 
and fig tree, then the emissaries of the beastly power of greed, 
who buy seats in every congregation, as well as in the Senate 
of the United States, at once set up a false cry of 'political 
preacher' and the words of Christ, 'Be ye brethren, and have 
all things in common/ and 'Take not interest from thy 
brother' were lost and the power of greed prevailed. I was 
denounced and overwhelmed with the shouts of the greed- 
mongers. I was told by a committee that I must preach 
Christ and him only, and let the business of this world alone, 
no matter how I read my Bible. I was told that my mission 
on earth was to teach the people that God wished them to 
fight the spiritual sin of the world and be content with their 
station in this life, and they would receive their reward in 
the world to come. I was reminded that my preaching was 
distasteful to the wealthy men who builded and endowed the 
church of which I was pastor. When I pointed to the Word 
in justification of my teaching, they answered not in words 
but in deeds, for I was not again called to the work, but 
was an outcast and rejected as Christ was rejected by his 
people. Although rejected I am still pushing on in the 
work Gocl gave me to do, and now I have my reward, for I 
have found noble hearts and kindly hands to help me, so 
that little by little the glad tidings shall be carried to the 
world and God's plans shall prevail, for the ways of the Lord 
are part finding out, and as he worketh in secret so must we 
work. And at last, Mr. Eiley, I have the consolation of seeing 
God's plan working here in this, our mountain home, where 
the League of David and Jonathan has been renewed by the 
people, and poverty has been banished from our midst, for 
it is written, 'The bundle of sticks can not be broken except 
they first be separated'." 

As Mr. Yead ceased speaking I asked him to tell me 



?2 Joseph yead; oa 

about the plan the people followed, whereby they received the 
fruits of their labor and did not have to divide with drones 
who coined the minds of men into dollars and by their use 
absorbed the product of the earth. 

He answered: "I have no plan, Mr. Kiley, other than 
is provided by God's Word, and that plan is now in use by 
the Society of Yead." 

Here my friend seemed to forget my presence and con- 
tinued speaking in a low voice as if to himself or to some 
unseen person, and this is what he said : 

"Yes — I know and I am sorry, but the people would 
have no other name, and now I must strive to so live as to 
not bring reproach on these kindly people, for they sought to 
honor me; but, after all, one name is as good as another, 
for there is nothing in a name, but virtue comes from work 
in a righteous cause." 

Mr. Yead then turned to me again and said: "Mr. 
Eiley, I can not tell you at this time the plan we use, but I 
will recommend you for membership in the society and you 
can learn the perfect plan suggested by God's Word. This 
much I will say, the plan is as perfect as nature and as sure 
as the promises of God, and while his humble servant is the 
founder of the society yet the plan was given us by God's 
Word and has been in use for hundreds of years and is known 
to be a success. If you wish to be a brother among us you 
may, as can all honorable men and women, but we work in 
secret, that God may reward us openly." 

"Why this secrecy, Mr. Yead ?" I asked. "If your cause 
is righteous and the plan is God's, why not come out and tell 
the world, that all may enjoy the blessing — that the poor-house 
and poverty may be banished from our land, as you say they 
have been with the people of your Society?" 

"Mr. Eiley," he answered, "there is nothing that would 
give me more pleasure than to call to all the people and show 
them the way to fight the Beast that Was, Is Not, and Yet 
IS, but I tried that in my younger days, as I have told you, 
and failed, and I am sure it can not be accomplished that 
way. We can only work by degrees and in secret, as the 
Christian religion was preserved by the faithful meeting in 






THE STORY OE THE BEAST. ?3 

secret through the dark ages. The Word says, 'They sang as 
it were a new song, and none could learn that song but the 
hundred forty and four thousand/ And again it says, 'He 
that serves me in secret I will reward him openly/ God 
commanded that spies be sent out to locate the position of 
the enemies of the cause of freedom. The successes of the 
world depend on secrecy. The advances of armies are made 
as nearly secret as possible to insure success. It is written, 
'God worketh in secret/ and 'The son of man cometh as a 
thief in the night'." 

As Mr. Yead quoted God's Word he turned leaf after 
leaf and read each text, until I was overwhelmed by the evi- 
dence offered to prove God's way was a way of secrecy from 
those who would oppose his plan. Mr. Yead closed the book 
but continued by showing how the merchant kept his prices 
a secret and how bankers and all corporations laid their plans 
behind closed doors. He pointed to the wonderful growth of 
the Masons, Oddfellows and Woodmen, because they worked 
by selection and secrecy; he pointed to the fact that the 
members of secret orders in the United States numbered 
over twenty million; he pointed to the fact that God tells 
us .we must use the same weapon with which to fight our 
foes that they use against us, explaining his meaning by quot- 
ing from the Word, "He that kills by the sword must be 
killed with the sword/' and "He that leadeth into captivity 
shall be led into captivity" and "If we despoil a strong man's 
house we must be stronger than the man." 

"So it follows," said he, "that if we re-take our own 
we must enter the League of Jonathan and David, not for 
violence, but to force 'peace on earth, good will toward men.' 
My friend, this is the plan, but not the detail of our Society, 
and we hope, little by little, to get the help of all good men in 
this, the noblest work that man can busy himself with, to the 
end that all may be ready for peace and plenty in that great 
day of the Lord." 

"Mr. Yead, since you follow the line of thought you 
do, and yOu say your position is sanctioned and taught in the 
Word, and since you have studied Socialism, can you tell me 
in what particular the Society of Yead differs from pure 



H Joseph yead; or 

Socialism?" I asked, "for from what I have seen and read 
of the proposals of Socialism they seem to me in line with 
your own, with the difference, perhaps, that you do not believe 
that the reform can be reached by political action and the 
Socialists do." 

"Mr. Kiley, I am glad to note you have followed me this 
far in the discussion, and that you have studied Socialism, 
for it is a good study to fit one's mind to receive the very 
opposite doctrine. The Yeadists and the Socialists go oppo- 
site ways, but meet on the other side of the sphere, the same 
as one man goes east and another west around the earth 
until they meet again on the other side. Both started for the 
same place, but took opposite paths to reach a common desti- 
nation. The Society of Yead utilizes the selfishness of man 
to further the interests of the collectivity, while the Social- 
ists attempt to change nature, or man's instinct, which is an 
impossibility. The Socialists advocate placing all property in 
the State, except money, or labor credits, which is money in 
spite of the name given it." 

"Are you not mistaken in your last statement, Mr. 
Yead?" I interrupted. "I understand that some Socialists 
would reserve to the individual all household goods and other 
personal property, together with a home and a small plat of 
ground as a homestead." 

"Yes, I realize that is true," Mr. Yead answered, "but 
the very fact that they are divided on so many questions works 
against their success, even if some one plan were perfect, for 
God's Word says, and all thinking men recognize its truth 
aside from the Bible, that 'a, house divided against itself 
cannot stand.' But we will return to the subject. We will 
for the sake of the analysis except all of the reservations col- 
lectively and reserve money only, yet the question is one of 
multipled complications, and we may view it from all sides 
at leisure and still it remains an unknown quantity, with 
no fixed plan to work to. The Word says that 'f aith without 
works availeth nothing.' The very best we can say is that it is 
an ideal, with all of the adverse nature of man ignored. But 
I must quit generalizing and give reasons for my convictions. 
To begin with, we have all noticed the natural tendency of 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. ?5 

man from childhood to maturity, and we have seen that the 
natural desire is to possess something. The little child, if it 
is healhty, desires trinkets, and when forced to give them up 
to another resents the encroachment on its wishes and what to 
it is its rights. This nature remains with the child through 
youth and into old age, and we might be convinced that the 
desire to possess was acquired by education were it not ex- 
hibited so strongly in mere infants, but for that reason if 
no other we must conclude that it is inherent. So, if this be 
true, there could be no contentment or pleasure for a man 
working all his years for a something — called the State — 
for just his board and clothes and furnishing his own home 
(if the home be reserved to him, and if not, then he would 
get more for his time, as the State must furnish it for him 
in addition to his board and clothes). If we reserve to every 
family a house will we build it or allow the head of the family 
to build it for himself? Then what would we do about the 
inheritance of. the home by the children? Or shall we pro- 
vide by law that each family shall have but one child (Presi- 
dent Koosevelt would object to that), or shall we take land 
from the Commonwealth, which belongs to all the people, and 
parcel it out as a wedding present to newly-married people? 
— which I believe would be the right thing to do, and is a 
beautiful sentiment. All of these little things might be ad- 
justed, and I believe they could be, but there are many ques- 
tions more serious than any I have mentioned. We have 
multiplied evidence at hand which proves that one of the 
strongest incentives for humanity to work, plan, and invent, 
is the hope of gaining the applause of men, or a place to 
stand on that is above the rest of mankind. Everyone of us 
points with approval to Lincoln, who battled his way from a 
poor rail-splitter to the president's chair ; to Washington, who 
from a hunter rose to be the commander of the continental 
armies and then president, and to Garfield, a canal boy who 
became president. In short, the minds of men so strongly 
approve the idea of a 'self-made man/ one who has climbed 
from poverty to a kingdom, that they fairly revel in and never 
tire of reading fiction that describes 'the battle from poverty 
to wealth and power/ We know of men spending thousands 



76 Joseph ybad; or 

of dollars more than the salary to gain the title of Senator. 
All this proves that the natural tendency of man is to be- 
come a leader, and when he reaches the place of leader then 
he uses all his energy and force to elevate himself to that of 
commander. So we conclude that to get the best efforts of 
man we must not abridge his capabilities, yet we should de- 
vise some plan to prevent him from encroaching upon the 
rights of his weaker brother. 

"We will now turn our attention to the idea; of the Co- 
operative Commonwealth. In the first place, to carry out any 
sort of a plan we must have officers and they must have power, 
delegated to them in some manner, to enforce rules or laws 
enacted by the people, yet when we elect them we know that 
their natures lead them to assume greater power than was in- 
tended they should have, for we have seen that power and 
official position are the stepping-stones used by all the men 
of the past and present to climb to fame. If we wish more 
proof to establish these truths all we have to do to supply 
it is to turn to history, where we find that when the plebeians 
of Eome were allowed to elect from their number a tribune 
to represent them in the law-making body the man, almost 
invariably, proved to be possessed of the same love of power 
as all the rest of mankind, and at once began to plan to 
make himself a lord, peer or king, and, if it became neces- 
sary for his success, to sacrifice father or mother, or put to 
the sword one-half or any other number of his constituents, 
he would not hesitate a moment to do it. It seems that the 
great majority of mankind cannot withstand the temptation 
of, and will even sacrifice their own life for, wealth, title 
and power or to be worshiped by men as the Prince of Wis- 
dom. I believe there are exceptions to every rule, but they are 
so few that their influence has no effect, and, as a rule, men 
who cannot be bribed can be fooled, and so are led into 
wrong believing it to be right. There is no longer any ques- 
tion about Abe Lincoln being coerced into signing some 
vicious laws, and being misled as to the effect of other bad 
laws, by Stanton and others who were interested, and who 
were made rich by the laws they fooled Lincoln into signing. 
That Mr. Lincoln knew the import of some of these laws is 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 77 

proved by letters he wrote describing the situation, for in these 
letters he said : The Senate was stubborn and we were forced 
to yield or see our country and our government destroyed.' 
Thus we see we cannot place any dependence in officers to 
subserve the people's interest and forego their own aggran- 
dizement. 

"We will now consider a few of the conditions that must 
obtain under a Co-operative Commonwealth. We must have 
foremen in every shop, for otherwise we would find a dozen 
men contending with each other as to who should operate a 
certain machine. All would claim to have as much right as 
any of the others, so if there was no way to settle the dispute 
there would be no work done. As an exemplification of hu- 
man nature in this regard we need only consult mothers and 
fathers of large families of boys and girls. Mothers will tell 
you that one girl will say, 'Let Jenny wash the dishes for [ 
want to fix up my room/ Then Jenny will say, 'I guess I 
have as much right to fix up my room as you have to fix 
yours/ And so the innumerable complications continue until 
mother comes forward and specifies the duty of each con- 
testant by using her natural authority. What is true in the 
realm of housework is also true of the boys under the father 
at the shop, factory, or on the farm. As men and women 
are 'only children grown talP they retain that self-will and love 
of freedom of action born with them. They may take advice, 
but coercion, never ! except, perhaps, from mother or father 
and not from them even after they are of age and are equal 
in responsibility. The father and mother have natural au- 
thority and power to punish the disobedience of their chil- 
dren, while a foreman who is elected would have no such right. 
He could not even dismiss from service for disobedience the 
delinquent person owning as much in the institution as the 
boss, as neither of them owns anything, only as each is one 
of the people, a citizen of the state, in which the whole prop- 
erty is vested. Another reason is that the power to dismiss 
from service is also power to condemn to death or servitude, 
for the reason that Socialism teaches and advocates that all 
must work or not be allowed to eat, so when all the land and 
the manufacturing property is vested in the state it will be 



78 Joseph tead; or 

readily seen that all must obey orders or be condemned to 
starvation; thus the officers and bosses become the rulers of 
the people, as were the ancient kings. 

"But again, our knowledge of the separate rights of all 
teach us that if society has the power to say one must render 
service or starve, then society must be in position at all times 
to furnish work to all comers, and at the same time have 
constantlv on hand food whereby all may be fed, as well as 
clothed, for clothing is essential second only to food; and in 
addition to food and clothes housing must be furnished at all 
times. And still again, society could not reasonably demand 
of a starving man that he work first and eat afterward, or of 
a shelterless man that he lie out in the cold for a night that 
he might commence work the next day, and then labor first 
and eat afterward. I say we could not for humanity's sake 
do that kind of thing. Therefore, there would be nothing 
to prevent men of a roving disposition from going from place 
to place and consuming the product of the rest of society 
without giving any return therefor. 

"We could go on for hours enumerating the many com- 
plications that enter into the Socialistic Idea, but time will 
not permit, so I will close this part of the subject and take 
up what to me seems the most difficult part of all, which is 
money, or the medium of exchange, for it is money no mat- 
ter what form may be adopted. Any token given in exchange 
for labor or property, which can be again exchanged for 
other property, such as food, raiment, etc., is money, and that 
token or the thing bought with it must be the absolute prop- 
erty of the individual, and his right to use it as he wills 
cannot be questioned or abridged bv any other person or 
society and the owner remain free. Mbnev is absolutely nec- 
essary to civilization, for it can be carried conveniently from 
place to place and it will be received in exchange for food 
and other products of the earth that are indispensable to the 
comfort arid life of the people. I venture to say there is not 
one Socialist who thinks he can see a way or devise a plan 
whereby society could discard money of every form, and 
yet I cannot see how the proposed Co-operative Common- 
wealth can force all citizens to work as long as money is in 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 79 

dstence and can be obtained by the individual, and owned 
by the individual, and I assign as my reason the following: 
"If it were possible to change the form of government 

without revolution, then in that case we would have to ap- 
point a day for the change to take place ; or, if not, then the 
people would be warned of the approaching change by the 
result of the election which swept the Socialists into power, 
and they would be further warned by the repeal of all laws 
pertaining to private ownership of land and the passage of 
laws vesting landed titles in the state. When the people 
were reasonably sure the change w r as about to be made every 
banker, loan company, and all the creditor-class would begin 
collecting every dollar they had standing out, and when col- 
lected would hide it or lock it up in vaults, because a blind 
man could see that money, being the only property that could 
be transferred, it would be the only thing that would pur- 
chase bread, if, indeed, it would do so. As we go into the 
matter the whole social fabric becomes a seething mass of in- 
flamed anarchy, and, try as we may, we cannot prevent an 
awful picture from passing before our eyes. We see farmers 
and others who have the material for food and clothes refus- 
ing to trade it for money because money is of such doubtful 
value. We see all value being reduced to articles of food and 
clothing, for these are the only articles that possess the prop- 
erty which render it fit to satisfy human needs. When these 
are supplied, and not until then, the wants of man will ex- 
tend to all pleasurable things, such as elegance, beauty, art, 
etc. We see that food and material for clothes must be taken 
from its owner, who produced it by his labor, either by law, 
theft, or force; otherwise thousands must perish from hun- 
ger, because the owners of provisions would refuse to trade 
for a thing they could not use and did not want. We see 
that people living on land would not have any incentive to 
produce more than would supply their own wants and to 
trade for clothing, and money would not enter into the trans- 
action. We see that all debts and credits must fail, for the 
reason that the repealing of land titles destroyed all security 
ownership, and even if the honesty of Jones led him to pay 
money to Johnson, which he (Jones) had promised to pay 



80 Joseph yead; oft 

to Johnson, and all other men who owed money to others 
would pay money in liquidation of their indebtedness, the 
last man into whose hands the money came might starve to 
death unless some one would trade food for his money. But 
even if the change could be made and money retain the same 
function it now has, those who got possession of the money 
would have all others at a disadvantage, for they could charge 
enormous interest for the use of their money, and thus beat 
the Socialist edict that 'If one works not, neither shall he eat? 
Some Socialists say we will issue labor credits or tickets, 
which will certify that the bearer has performed certain labor 
and is entitled to a specified amount of credit, or so many 
pounds of meat, flour, or other food or commodities. Even 
that leads us into more complications for we must then have 
public store-keepers in every neighborhood where this scrip 
may he redeemed with goods. Then again we see that this 
scrip could pass current in only a very limited circle, for other- 
wise people could counterfeit the scrip and pass it upon the 
public store-keepers, and again the edict, 'Work or not eat/ 
would be defeated. 'But/ says someone, Sve will have the 
credit slips engraved and numbered, just as greenbacks are 
now/ Well, that might help some, but we would have to 
have an expert on money in every store to keep out counter- 
feits. In fact, everybody would have to be an expert or be 
imposed on or be compelled to take their surplus production 
to the store and trade it for what they needed in other men's 
product to avoid being defrauded. 

"Thus, Friend Riley, I will close the discussion of this 
question/' said Mr. Yead, kw not because I have exhausted all 
the difficulties that would arise upon an attempted change 
from any form of government to the Co-operative Common- 
wealth, as advocated by Socialism, for they are innumerable. I 
confess that the theory is beautiful, and if it were possible to 
put it in operation through political action we would all wish 
to live here forever and the millennial day would have dawned. 
But we must all admit that (he wealth-owners under the 
present system will try to hold their power, and get more 
if they can. We also realize that the masses must continue 
to be the bearers of all the burdens, unless some plan is 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 81 

devised to distribute to each person his honest own, and the 
individual must be provided with power to withhold his prop- 
erty from the greed of those that would devise divers plans 
to rob him, but a man would not be counted wise if he took 
his own life to cure a cold, or if he would bind himself to the 
state to avoid serving a man or a corporation. We also real- 
ize that by labor all must secure a living, and the only ques- 
tion to solve is how to prevent the other fellow from living 
by our labor instead of his own. 

"This great question has been solved and all that now 
remains is for the people to adopt the solution. It gives the 
blessings of Socialism with none of the restrictions. It al- 
lows us all the liberties of politics, religion and travel that 
we now enjoy. It robs no man of his wealth nor the product 
of his labor. It invades not the sanctuary of God nor the 
domicile of man. We do not have to wait for ages for the 
majority of the people to embrace the doctrines of a political 
party, nor does it depend on the honesty or wisdom of peers, 
lords, or other officers. It forces no man to abandon the com- 
petitive system unless he wishes to do so. It requires the 
change of not one law that is now on the statute books. 
Under that system man can own property of every kind that 
he can now, and can take part in politics if he will. In short, 
Mr. Eiley, all men can succeed if they will — not by politics, 
but in spite of it. This, my friend, is the system in use by 
the Society of Yead, and it has been used by men for hun- 
dreds of years. It is such a system that a man does not 
have to be possessed of great wisdom in order to understand 
it and to know that it will be a success with all who adopt it, 
for it is the plan of God, and is as immutable as the fixed 
laws of nature. Mr. Eiley, we can get the people to accept 
the perfect plan only by degrees, and if we would herald it 
to the world the people would forget it and it would do them 
no good. For the Word says we must all work out our own 
salvation, and that little by little, as the leaven leaveneth the 
whole lump of baker's dough." 

Mr. Yead closed by saying: "Mr. Eiley, at the proper 
time and place, if you are found worthy, you shall receive 
the plan which to you will be an open book. But you will 



82 Joseph yead; ok 

be admonished to never reveal these secrets to any one, ex- 
cept at the proper time and place ; for while we would be only 
too glad to at once give the blessings of 'Peace, Health and 
Plenty' to the world if the people would only receive and un- 
derstand, the very nature of the plan is such that the people 
could not adopt it in a day or a year, or even in ten years. 
But with those who come to our society it will be an imme- 
diate success and will grow into a perfection that will carry 
blessings to all posterity." 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 83 



CHAPTER III. 

One day, as I was looking over some kodak pictures, I 
came across one which showed a man's head which seemed to 
be peering from behind a large rock. I was startled when I 
discovered it was my own face, and as I was recalling and 
meditating over the circumstances under which the picture 
had been taken Miss Gladys came into the room, and on 
seeing me with the picture came up to me and tried to attract 
my attention from this picture by showing me another. But 
as she was about to take the picture from my hand I laid it 
down and gently took both her hands in my own and said: 

"My dear little friend, do not try to assist me in escap- 
ing from anything of which I might be ashamed. That 
picture tells you and me of a time when I sought to follow 
and spy upon your father in order that I might find the 
country that was so rich with gold, and I am sure you nor 
your father now believe me guilty of any intent of wrong, 
no matter what his thoughts might have been at the time. 
But, do you know, I am not sorry my curiosity got the bet- 
ter of me and caused me to follow Mr. Yead, for had it not 
done so I should not have met him and viewed with my eyes 
a man with such a soul as he. I have learned from his writ- 
ings and from his own lips of the plans by which he expects 
to protect the people against the power of some impending 
danger, and thus obey the command of God. Your father 
has told me of the 'Society of Yead/ and I, too, dear Gladys, 
have taken its pledge and have been taught its lesson, and I 
have the promise of your father to be introduced into this 
society in full fellowship. I have also promised to consecrate 
my life to that work which will relieve the oppressed from 
poverty, and make it possible for them to be an honest Chris- 
tion people. Your father has pointed out for me a work 



84 joseph yead; or 

that is a glorious work. How vividly he has shown me that 
a man is happy on earth only as he devotes his life to the 
good of mankind! How wonderfully he has portrayed the 
cup of bitterness that awaits us in old age or at death if we 
have in our life sought only the pleasures of this world or 
devoted our energies to the amassing of great wealth; for 
he truly says Ve are as poor as the beggar upon the streets 
of a city when we pass the grave' except as we have en- 
riched our souls by helping the people in the good work of 
helping themselves, and thus endeared our lives to the God- 
loving world ; for God says the way is so plain that wayfaring 
men need not err therein. Your father has taught me why 
we must work in secret to accomplish our work, for the power 
we fight would make doubly strong their defense if they 
knew the weapons we use against them and would send out 
emissaries to capture the sword of the infants before they 
could take it up; and while my impetuous nature would 
lead me to cry out to all the world, and try to gather them 
together with trumpets, and point out the plan of escape, your 
father's past experience has taught him the only way. He 
has shown me how he unwittingly delayed the work for a 
lifetime by the public utterances he hurled from the rostrum 
in his younger days. So he has pointed out to me his mistake, 
which I shall try to avoid. 

"Now, Dear Gladys, having determined to be, first, a 
follower of your father, then a leader in the work for God 
and Humanity in spreading and continuing the unbroken 
chain that now binds the 'Society of Yead' together, I feel 
I have only one hope more to realize to make my work a con- 
tinual pleasure. Gladys, that hope is that I may have you 
always with me as an inspiration to guide me on." 

Her answer was the golden pledge that binds all this 
world in a happy unity of families, though the words used by 
each of us are too sacred to place in print before the world. 

We had become so interested that we did not hear the 
approach of Mr. Yead, who startled us by saying: "Come, 
young man, it seems as if you have stolen from me more than 
five times the value that you would had you stolen all the 
gold in the mountains. Is that why you tracked me to these 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 80 

hills from Denver? Now that you have done your worst I 
should think you would come to dinner, which is getting cold." 

So time sped on toward the time when Mr. Yead prom- 
ised me, if I was able, he would take me to the quarterly 
meeting at the settlement, where I could see more of the 
workings of the "Society of Yead." 

A few days after the mutual understanding, and we had 
received the blessings of Mr. Yead, Miss Gladys went to 
visit an uncle with the promise of meeting me again when I 
came with her father to attend the quarterly meeting of the 
church in the valley some one hundred miles from this moun- 
tain home, at which time I was to be taken into the "Society 
of Yead." The time intervening between Gladys' departure 
and the time of the meeting came to an end after a time 
which seemed an age to me, and it was with a light heart that 
I was assisted to mount my horse and set out with Mr. Yead 
and a number of the men of this little nook in the mountains 
for the place of meeting. We were delayed a few hours by 
one of the men falling sick, who had to be sent home, and 
we arrived at the meeting place after the people had assem- 
bled. I was introduced to some of the men and women who 
came forward to meet Mr. Yead, and escorted to a seat in 
the church. I saw nothing of Miss Gladys, but I asked no 
questions, for it was now late, and Mr. Yead went directly 
to the pulpit and began the sermon after the song service was 
ended. 

As soon as he began I had no time for other thought, 
for his clear, ringing voice poured forth the most vivid and 
wonderful words that I had ever listened to, and I sat as if 
under a spell or in a trance until he finished; then my mind 
came back from the Isle of Patmos. But every word of 
that sermon is as vivid to me now as when I listened to it in 
that immense church of logs in that wonderful settlement, 
where the strongest band of Spiritual Brotherhood prevails 
of any place I know of on this globe ; and I afterward learned 
there was not a case of poverty among these people. 

Dear Eeader, listen to the sermon, for here are the words 
minus the spiritual fervor that this wonderful man possessed. 



8ti JOSEPH yead; or 



CHAPTEK IV. 



THE SERMON. 



Dear Brethren : If you will turn to the second chapter 
of Joel, verses 27 and 28, you will find there recorded the 
following text : "And ye shall know that I am in the midst 
of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: 
and my people shall never be ashamed. And it shall come to 
pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh ; 
and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men 
shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions." 

If we follow this text and apply it to the experiences of 
men of our day, as well as the testimony sent us by men of 
ages that are past, we shall see that God has continued his 
prophetic spirit with the people down through the ages, and 
to the present day. 

I am glad that God has seen fit to verify His words 
through me, by allowing his spirit of prophecy to rest on His 
servant, that I may add my testimony to that of many other 
witnesses w^ho have had prophetic dreams and visions. 

Yes, my Brethren, I am glad to add my testimony to 
your testimony, for I know there are many of you who have 
seen visions that were prophecies — either in dreams or pre- 
sentiments. I can recall many dreams that I have experi- 
enced which came true to the very letter, which proves to my 
mind that we can get flash-lights on events yet to come. 

My dear old mother used to tell me her dreams, which I 
noted carefully, and they were afterward verified in the most 
perfect manner. The mind in its sleeping state is said to be 
more susceptible to impressions than when awake ; yet, I have 
received psychological forecasts while I was awake, in the 
light of day, that came true within a few hours. I have the 



THE STOKY OE THE BEAST. 8? 

testimony of many men and women, both in and out of the 
church, who have had similar experiences with dreams and 
visions — both night and day. 

Many years ago I became interested in God's manifesta- 
tions of Himself to His children. My interest caused me to 
observe carefully and watch for manifestations among men 
who professed to be His followers, as well as those who made 
no such profession. As a result of my research I have gath- 
ered some of the most wonderful evidences that God is mind- 
ful of the children of men, and that the spirit of God and 
His watchfulness turn aside many dangers that menace our 
lives, and that would cause us great suffering and hardships 
only for His influence. 

I have tabulated some of the most beautiful instances of 
God's influence with men and have had them verified by oath 
before a Notary Public and have preserved them in my study 
as heirlooms. In the last few days I have been looking over 
an old scrap-book in which I have preserved some beautiful 
sermons that I heard delivered in years gone by, some of 
which were masterpieces, and which were presented by divines 
who have long since passed to their great reward. 

Among many other articles, poems and sermons, I found 
a beautiful story that I gathered many years ago, while I was 
sojourning in the State of Kansas, which I reduced to writ- 
ing and had verified under oath by three witnesses, who were 
present at the time of the occurrence. In reciting this story 
I shall use the real names of the characters that took part 
in this drama of real life on the western frontier. 

Mrs. Amanda Moses was the Notary Public who admin- 
istered the oath to the witnesses. There are some of the 
parties still living at Lincoln, Kansas, and there are so many 
children and grand-children still residing there that one would 
experience no difficulty in verifying the facts, even at the 
present time. 

In 1866, and for some years thereafter, the country lying 
west of Salina, Kansas, was a wild and desolate plain and the 
Indian's hunting-ground, being the home of the buffalo, 
antelope and the coyote. The history of this country was very 
much like that of all the other states. The young man with 



88 JOSEPH yead; or 

his family pushed on and on, ever westward, where he settled 
on public land just beyond the lines already established by 
the home-builders who preceeded him. The settlers took up 
their homes along the streams where timber and water could 
be obtained, as timber was found only along streams and 
where there was a natural protection from prairie fires, so, 
in many instances there were several miles between settle- 
ments. The frontiersmen built their habitations as close to- 
gether as was practicable in order that they might protect 
each other from Indian raids and co-operate in many matters. 
I have been told that there was the most remarkable harmony 
always existing in these settlements. 

In these early days there was no inequality, but all had 
plenty; there was neither employer nor employe, but each 
worked to provide for his own household ; there were no petty 
jealousies, as each depended on the other only for the union 
of forces for the common protection. Newcomers received 
hospitality from the old settlers, who divided provisions with 
them until they could provide for themselves and repay in 
kind their debts from their first harvest. 

I do not wish to be understood as asserting that all was 
as merry as a marriage, for such was not the case. The dry 
years and grasshoppers came, and in many cases settlers were 
forced to abandon their homes or starve; in other cases In- 
dians drove the residents of small settlements from their 
homes and they never returned to them again. But it is a 
well-known fact that had the people been in constant discord, 
and had they exhibited the selfishness that prevails in the 
Eastern States today, the settling of the West would have 
taken many years longer, if, indeed, it could have been ac- 
complished at all. 

We will now return to the subject of the story and speak 
of what actually happened in a small settlement of white 
people, near the banks of the Saline river, about three miles 
southeast of where the town of Lincoln, Kansas, the county 
seat of the county of the same name, stands. 

It was the custom of the early settlers to visit one an- 
other at their homes and engage in rifle practice and other 
amusements, and almost any Sunday would find three or four 






THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 89 

of the settlers visiting at the home of a neighbor. The men 
would pitch horseshoes and engage in target practice; the 
women would visit together and prepare dinners ; so all would 
enjoy these social gatherings very much. In the evening each 
would return to his home, and on the following Sunday they 
would again visit some of their neighbors or entertain their 
friends at their own cabins. 

The church, Sunday school and theater had not made 
their appearance on the western frontier, so the people had 
to entertain themselves at best they could. On one particular 
Sunday, the exact date I was unable to obtain — as calendars 
were not much in evidence in those days and time was not 
noted with much exactness, more than to keep track of the 
months — but, at the time of the opening of this story, the 
families of John Henderson and Fred Arhart were visiting 
at the cabin of Martin Henderson, who was familiarly known 
as Uncle Mart. 

Some little time before the dinner hour, while the men 
were amusing themselves at rifle practice, TJncle Mart sud- 
denly went a little way to one side, sat down upon a stone 
and seemed to be in a peculiar mood. He would make no 
answer to anything that was said to him and soon got up and 
went to the house. His company asked one another if they 
had done anything to offend him, but each was sure he had 
not, so they went into the cabin to make inquiry. They found 
Mr. Henderson lying down. In answer to questions, he said 
there was nothing the matter with him, but that he felt com- 
pelled to go west, to the mouth of Spillman creek, which was 
some ten or twelve miles from the settlement, and as this was 
then the border settlement all the territory west was wild 
country and dangerous for a man to venture into alone. 
There was danger of meeting with some band of Indians who 
were on the war-path at the time and would count it a pleas- 
ure to leave their hunt to give chase to a lone pale-face. His 
friends and Mrs. Henderson, in turn, tried to dissuade him, 
bat the more they objected the more determined he was to go. 

He finally arose, went out and caught up his horse, sad- 
dled and bridled it, and evinced a determination to go or die 
on the road. He buckled on his revolver, took his Spencer 



90 JOSEPH yead; ok 

carbine (a short repeating rifle) and sprang into the saddle 
and was about to start when Fred Arhart said : "Uncle Mart, 
I feel like I would like to go with you, and would do so had 
I as good a horse to ride as you have." Whereupon, Uncle 
Mart dismounted and said: "Fred, if you will go you may 
have my horse and I will get another." Mr. Arhart knew 
there was no other horse on the premises as good, so he hesi- 
tated. Without further comment Uncle Mart went and caught 
up a four-year-old colt that was only partially broken to the 
bit and had been ridden but three or four times. He placed 
a blanket on the colt, as he had no other saddle. 

Handing the rifle to Mr. Arhart, he sprang on the colt's 
back and they were off for the mouth of Spillman creek, on 
what errand neither of them knew. Uncle Mart led the way, 
while Mr. Arhart followed closely in the rear. They rode, 
without passing a word between them, mile after mile over 
hills and gullies, until they reached a prominence about a 
mile from the mouth of Spillman creek, where Uncle Mart 
suddenly drew rein, and, turning to Mr. Arhart, said : "Fred, 
what I came here for we shall see over yonder near that clump 
of underbrush and trees." He was about to proceed when 
Mr. Arhart said: "Uncle Mart, this is an awfully lonesome 
place ! Don't you think we had better go home ?" Mr. Hen- 
derson answered: "You may go, but I will not go until I 
know why I came here." Mr. Arhart would not leave him, 
and on they went. 

Uncle Mart's eye-sight was not very good, and as they 
approached the clump of trees referred to Mr. Arhart warned 
his companion that there was something ahead that might 
be Indians, for he saw what he believed to be a red blanket. 
Mart Henderson's answer was: "'Get your gun in readiness 
and we shall soon see what it is." They then pushed on for a 
few hundred yards, when they suddenly came upon two little 
white children, four and six years old, who were wandering 
about on the prairie almost starved to death. Uncle Mart 
dismounted and handed one of the children to Mr. Arhart 
and the other he took on the horse with himself and hastened 
with all possible speed homeward. 

The friends reached home in safety, and by using care in 



THE STOKY OF THE BEAST. 9l 

feeding the little ones they had rescued from either death 
by starvation or being devoured by wolves, the children were 
nursed back to health; but as soon as he had left orders as 
to the feeding of the children, Uncle Mart mounted his horse 
and set out to find the parents of the "babes on the plains.'' 

Mr. Henderson intuitively went in a northeasterly direc- 
tion, and after riding some ten miles he met another horse- 
man, who proved to be Polk Trip, a scout, who afterward 
became first sheriff of two or three of the surrounding coun- 
ties, in turn, as they were organized. Mr. Trip informed Mr. 
Henderson that the children belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Aaron 
Bell, who lived in a settlement northeast of Henderson's 
some thirty-five miles, near where Beloit, Kansas, now stands. 
He also told Mr. Henderson of an Indian raid on the north 
settlement, stating that several persons had been killed, and 
that the mother of the children had been carried off, but had 
been abandoned by the Indians, and that she had been found 
and taken home, where she was at that time distracted and 
prostrate from grief at the fate of her little ones. It seems 
the Indians had become tired of the children and had cast 
them aside to be torn in pieces by wolves or to be starved on 
the plains. 

Mr. Henderson returned home and Mr. Trip carried the 
good tidings to the loving and anguished mother that her 
babies had been saved to her alive. This mother had been 
stricken down with grief and her life was almost despaired 
of; yet, we have another self-evident proof that joy rarely 
kills, for the good news was balm to her wounds. After she 
was assured that the little ones were in the best of hands, 
and the manner of their rescue was recited to her, she 
thanked God for His kindness and care of her and her babies. 
She then slept the sleep of recovery, and on the following 
day, when a small band of settlers were ready to go and bring 
the babes to their mother, she appeared in their midst well- 
mounted and evinced a determination to be the first to re- 
ceive the little ones from the hands of him who rescued them 
from death. Be it said to the glory of a mother's love that, 
against advice in the interest of her own health, she could 
not be prevailed on to stay at home and wait for the children 



92 Joseph yead; or 

to be brought to her, but braved all danger and fatigue and 
was the first to receive the babies in her open arms and thank 
God for the instrumentality that was used by Him to deliver 
them to her alive. This manifestation of God is so thoroughly 
verified that none can doubt the influence which led Mr. 
Henderson to accomplish the work God had given him to do. 

So it is, my friends, at every mile-stone we find inex- 
haustible evidence of supernatural influence in dreams and 
visions, so that the man who would deny the psychic rela- 
tions between man and the Infinite would only expose his 
ignorance of scientific advancement recognized by all phi- 
losophers and psychological students. 

We find by the study of the Word that God, in addition 
to directing His people in the paths of peace and spirituality, 
also points out the many dangers that beset our pathway in 
temporal matters. For positive proof of this we need only 
recall the many instances when God took part in the business 
ventures of people, and, in many cases, those that were helped 
by God's influence were not believers in His religion or His 
supremacy, for, the angel appeared to Joseph, the husband 
of Mary, in a dream. Pharaoh, the King of Egypt, saw in a 
dream the seven fat and the seven lean kine. He saw the 
seven rank and the seven lean ears of corn also in a dream, 
and the result of the dreams was that the people were saved 
from starvation and the King's dreams liberated Joseph 
from prison, and were the direct cause of the fulfillment of 
Joseph's prophetic dream, which he had experienced a num- 
ber of years before. Each of these dreams was influenced 
by God and added to the success of Egypt in her financial 
welfare, and at the same time rewarded Joseph for his fidel- 
ity to his God. We find throughout the Bible instances where 
God advised and directed His people in their temporal af- 
fairs. He directed battles and taught the people the won- 
derful power of usury. And we have no record of an in- 
stance where the advice of God was followed by the people 
where success was not attained. 

I am sure that if the people will follow the direction 
of God they need not fear for the future, either in temporal 
or spiritual matters. The Jews attain the greatest percentage 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 93 

of success of any nationality for the reason that they follow 
more closely the directions of their ancient prophets. 

It is no longer necessary for God to continue His direct 
communication with the world; for the full directions are 
laid down for us to follow if we will ; and He says if we be- 
lieve not the prophets we will not believe one even if he rise 
from the dead. But we are commanded to search the Scrip- 
tures, and follow the directions given by God through the 
Prophets; which Habbakkuk says are so plain that he may 
run who readeth it; and Isaiah says that the way is so plain 
that way-faring men, though fools, shall not err therein. 

It is written that there is none so blind as those that 
will not see, and none so deaf as those that will not hear ; but 
all who will may claim the promises and succeed by learning 
what we are commanded to do, and then do it. 

The philosopher studies cause and effect, and then uses 
the cause to promote the effect he desires; for he knows it 
cannot fail, as it is Nature's eternal law. The philosopher 
may foretell what will happen a thousand years hence with 
perfect accuracy, provided the cause continues; while the 
prophet receives his psychic impression from what he calls a 
vision, and he writes what he sees, and we can only know its 
meaning after we have seen its fulfillment. 

I am sure there is a way pointed out by God through 
the prophets to evade every danger that overshadows us, and 
I know that the remedy is as perfect as the laws of Nature 
are perfect, and if we will follow the advice given us by the 
Spirit of God through the prophets we will find the perfect 
way. 

Therefore, in order that we may learn how to protect 
ourselves from the effects of an unrighteous cause we should 
watch for the fulfillment of the prophecies; for we read in 
the first chapter of Eevelation that Christ used the Eevelator 
as His servant to reveal to His people what was shortly to 
come to pass. John says in verse 10 that he was in the 
Spirit when he wrote of the vision that he saw. He points 
out the matchless teachings of Christ and the reward reserved 
for the faithful; and he points to the danger that lies in 
wait for those that are slothful. And when we contemplate 



94 Joseph yead; or 

the joys that are ours if we will reach out our hands and par- 
lake of His blessings, we are repaid for the work and study 
and long waiting we have experienced. 

The greater part of Kevelation is devoted to spiritual 
forecasts, but if we read the thirteenth chapter carefully, we 
see that this chapter is the exception, and is devoted to the 
description of dangers that threaten the people in business. 
So it is not only our privilege, but our duty, to heed God's 
warning and profit by His directing influence handed us 
through ibis prophet. For John the Bevelator speaks to the 
people after the days of Christ, and he occupies the same 
relation to us as the old prophets did to the Jews. We will 
now etudy his work and profit by his warning. 

John describes a Beast which he saw in his vision, which 
beast came up out of the sea (the angel explains in another 
chapter that water means people). The Beast that John saw 
bad seven beads and ten horns on its heads; and as the entire 
chapter appears to be a warning to the people of a dire calam- 
ity to come, which threatens the lives and liberties of the 
people that are on the earth when it does come, therefore, we 
must be on the alert and profit by that warning, should it 
come in our day, and we should teach our children to guard 
their interests against its attack on the coming generation 
after we are dead. 

Men and brethren, the Beast with such wonderful power 
is now here, and if we do not marshal our forces to do bat- 
tle we are lost, and must continue to be the slaves of the 
Beast, and our children will be enslaved after us. 

I have used the word-pitcure sent us by John to discover 
the Beast, and now that I have found it I see that he has 
Blasphemy written on his forehead. (See Rev. 13:1.) I 
see the number of his name also; for it is the number of a 
man and bis number is six hundred three score and six. (See 
Eev. 13:18.) This Beast has another name, and the power 
it possesses it derives through that name, from the people, 
and its only material existence is the name it bears. And the 
name of the Beast is Standard Oil Company; and it is 
guilty of all the crimes John says it is guilty of, and it has 
written on its head Blasphemy and Perjury; and it is guilty 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. U5 



of many other crimes, which I will enumerate in turn as I 
come to them, and compare them with John's description. 

I will now submit the evidence I have gathered that 
proves the Standard Oil Company to be the Beast, and the 
same evidence will prove it is guilty of the crimes credited 
to "It." 

The witnesses I shall use to prove the case against the 
Beast and 'to prove its identity are well known to all, and 
their reputation for truth and honor is beyond question. The 
first witness will be John the Revelator, after whom we will 
call United States Attorney General Moody, and the well- 
known prophet, Habakkuk, and, perhaps, Thomas W. Lawson, 
of Boston. 

St. John the Eevelator has submitted his evidence in 
writing, in which he gives a very minute description of the 
beastly thing that he says is the oppressor and enemy of the 
people who will live on the earth contemporary with the 
Beast. 

We have accused the Standard Oil Company of being the 
criminal and of being the Beast. The accused says he is not 
the criminal that John describes, but that, on the contrary, 
he does good and not harm in the world, wherefore, he de- 
mands to be acquitted of wrong-doing. If you, my friends, 
will act as the judge and jury we will now proceed to review 
the evidence. 

St. John says that he saw the Beast and that it had 
seven heads and ten horns on its heads. We notice that 
John does not say that three of the heads had two horns, and 
all the others had but one horn each; nor does he say each 
head had one horn and three-sevenths of one horn ; so we con- 
clude there were ten horns on each head, or seventy horns 
in all. We all understand that crowns in the Bible refer to 
wealth and power. So, as the horns had ten crowns, the 
Beast that possessed so many powers and crowns must be in 
control of unmeasurable wealth and power. So, my friends, 
when we measure the power and wealth of the accused, and 
then compare it with the description we see the exact parallel. 

The angel in explaining the mystery of the Beast says 



96 Joseph yead; or 

that it possessed a very unnatural existence, for the angel 
says: "It was, is not, and yet is." (See Bev. 17 :8.) 

I have heard men point to this statement as being a 
contradiction, because the language seems to be paradoxical; 
but when we find the Beast, and examine the peculiar imma- 
terial existence that it possesses we see that the angel used 
the only words that could be used to describe the unnatural 
being without using the word "Corporation," which word 
was not in use at the time of the writing of Revelation; yet 
it is true, for a corporation has no material existence. It is 
like time and space, it always was; at least the power to 
create it always was with the people. "It is not/' for at this 
moment it has only a mythical existence. "It yet is;" yes, 
my friends, it is, for the people who have been enslaved by it, 
and whose enterprises have been mangled, crushed and swal- 
lowed up by it, will testify to its existence ; for they know and 
have felt its presence and power. Yes, my brethren, they 
know it is here in their midst, even if they can not see, hear, 
touch, taste or smell a corporation ; and while it has no human 
form, with a soul, a heart, or conscience, never-the-less it is 
here in a beastly form called an "IT," and it is so called by 
John the Revelator. The power to form a corporation always 
was, and is like Time and Space, it always will be, yet it has 
no material existence, as matter. 

The Prophet Habakkuk, in describing one of the heads 
of the Beast, says : "He enlargeth his desire as Hell, and is 
as Death ; and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all 
Nations, and heapeth to him all people." My friends, if 
there are words in the language of men that will express a 
more perfect description of the vicious avariciousness of the 
Trust Corporations I should be pleased to learn in what lan- 
guage they may be found. 

United States Attorney General Moody furnishes us with 
the strongest corroborative evidence, for he says that he in- 
stituted proceedings against the Standard Oil Company, 
under the anti-trust laws of the United States, on the 15th 
day of November, 1906, in the city of St. Louis, Missouri. 
Mr. Moody says that the accused is a powerful Thing called 
an It, and that it has seven heads and Seventy horns 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 97 

(branches). Witness further says this beastly thing has 
used, and is using, its seven heads of concerns, and its seventy 
branch concerns to encompass all the industries, and to crush 
out the unorganized effort's of the people and thus subjugate 
and enslave them. He further says that this beastly thing 
(The Standard Oil Company) is guilty of many crimes against 
the people, .and that he is seeking to give battle to this un- 
natural being, and to punish it for its crimes. 

Witness further says that the seven main heads of thia 
beastly "It" consists of: J. D. Eockefeller, William Bocke- 
feller, H. H. Eogers, Henry M. Flagler, J. D. Archbold, 
Oliver H. Payne, and Charles M. Pratt; and that they all act 
as a unit in the power they possess, with J. D. Bockefeller- 
Eogers as the directing power. 

Thomas W. Lawson, in his testimony, which has never 
been impeached, says the Standard Oil Company is under 
the absolute direction of Eockefeller-Eogers, and that they 
work by what Mr. Lawson calls the "System." The witness 
(Mr. Lawson) further says that this beastly "It," through 
its heads, is guilty of perjury, robbery, bribery, and many 
other heinous crimes ; and that they have driven men to self- 
destruction in order that they might escape the consequences 
of the brutal crimes of the Beastly System. The evidence is 
so plain, and proves the Standard Oil Company is none 
other than the Beast that was, is not, and yet is, that we are 
convinced without more evidence. But we must proceed 
until we give all the evidence, for the whole truth must be 
told; so we again turn to the evidence of St. John. 

St. John says that the Beast he saw was likened unto 
a leopard. The habit of this beast is to hide in the jungle 
and spring upon its prey. The Standard Oil Company does 
the same thing, for it hides its identity in a jungle of cor- 
porations, and, when the favorable moment arrives, it springs 
upon and devours (absorbs) all the industries of the people, 
or other corporations that are less powerful. 

John says that the feet of the Beast he saw were like 
the feet of a bear. This animal has the most powerful feet 
of all the beasts; and, like the Standard Oil Company, they 
both have power to squeeze the life out of its enemy or its 



98 Joseph yead; or 

prey, or to strike down with a single blow all opposition. Is 
not the comparison perfect? 

John says the Beast he saw had a mouth like a lion. 
The lion has the most powerful mouth of all beasts, and it 
is said to be King of Beasts, as the Standard Oil Company 
is the King of Corporations, and is a beastly thing. The lion 
and the leopard both kill and destroy more than they require 
for food, for they kill for the love of killing; and the Stand- 
ard Oil Company takes more spoils than it can use, and robs 
for the love of robbing. 

John says the dragon gave the Beast his power and 
great authority. The dragon is a species of snake that is 
said to have existed in pre-historic days; and naturalists tell 
us that the serpent has some kind of charm by which it im- 
pels its victims to it, and, also, that the snake covers its 
prey with a plaster of saliva when preparing to swallow it. 
The charm that impels men to the beastly Trust is the charm 
of Gold; and the saliva that it spreads on the industry it 
wishes to absorb is the Mortgage plaster. 

By some mysterious charm the Trust has influenced the 
different states to pass laws to prevent their own citizens from 
incorporating to do more than one or two kinds of business, 
which business must be indicated by a corporate name; yet 
the same states allow the Standard Oil Company or the 
American Steel ( steal y Company, whose charters cover and 
permit them to do any and all things known to man, to 
transact business within the borders of such states under the 
Foreign Corporations Law. 

Again, the snake crawls through a small crevice in the 
rocks and escapes pursuit; and that power is paralleled by 
the Trust crawling through a minor crevice in the law when 
it discovers danger. 

John further says: One of the heads of the Beast was 
wounded unto death, but that his deadly wound was healed. 
In our research for this head we find that in the beginning 
of oil-refining, and for several years following, there were 
two oil companies in this country, namely: The National 
and the Standard. We also remember that these two pow- 
erful concerns were at war with each other. This war was the 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 99 

most stubbornly contested of any similar war we have any 
record of, and it was carried on for several years. 

Finally, the Standard proved the stronger and the Na- 
tional was wounded unto death. But the most strange part 
of the matter is that, for the first time and the last time of 
which we have any record, the Standard Oil Company showed 
mercy to its enemy, for they ended the war by consolidating; 
and thus the words of the prophet were fulfilled, for the 
deadly wound was healed. 

Witness says at verse 4, "And they worshipped the 
Beast, saying, 'Who is liken unto the Beast? Who is able to 
make war with him?'" Yea, verily, the people cry, "All 
hail to the Beast, for it has reduced the price of all the 
necessities of the people"; but they do not realize that by 
owning the labor-saving machinerj f the Beast reserves the 
power to take the lion's share of the increase of wealth to 
itself, while the natural persons must serve the Beast in 
order to obtain food and shelter. But when I await the 
answer to "Who is able to make war with the Beast ?" I wait 
in vain; but I am sure there will come someone that will 
make war with the Beast and overcome It, for 'tis written, 
"He has power to continue for a time," and it is described 
in the Word how the gathering together for battle will come, 
and how the Beast will be forced to depart and go into per- 
dition. John says he made war and overcame the people 
(saints), and that he had power over kindreds, tongues and 
nations. The power described is found to exist in the mil- 
lions of money loaned to the nations by the Trust corpora- 
tions. 

In verses 11 and 12 John describes another Beast with 
two horns as a lamb. This Beast exercised all the power of 
the first Beast before him, but while he had a lamb-like ap- 
pearance he spake as a dragon, and caused the Earth and them 
that dwell therein to worship the first beast. Here, my 
friends, we come to a place where the vitascope of St. John's 
vision shows the most wonderful perfection in its delineation. 
We see that this Beast takes power from the first Beast, but 
it returns its service and the profit to it again; and in addi- 
tion to that, it also returns the service of the people to the 



100 Joseph yead; or 

Beast by force. This seems to be something of a mystery, 
but when we study the picture we see that it is a servant of 
the Beast; and it looks like and it is the illegitimate child 
of the Standard Oil Company, and it is known by the name 
of "Trust." In the lamb's horns he resembles the peaceful 
lamb, and he brings peace to the warring corporations, and he 
divides the spoils with the several heads which are partners 
in crime; but it spake as a dragon, and while it is a peace- 
maker to the warring corporations, it speaks with forked 
tongue like the snake that it is, and with the power of the 
boa it has squeezed the product of the farm into the coffers 
of the Beast; and it has gathered the profits of labor from 
the factories and turned them into the endless store-house 
of the Beast with seven heads. 

John says, "And he doeth great wonders, so that he 

MAKETH FIRE COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN ON THE EARTH IN 

the sight of man." Ah, my brethren, have you seen it? 
As we view this picture, and as we are wondering when the 
Beast will bring down fire from heaven in the sight of man, 
and while we are still waiting and wondering if it will really 
come true, our hearts are beating with excitement and with 
awe. 

And, behold ! the light flashes before our eyes, our blood 
is chilled in our veins and our tongues cleave to the roofs of 
our mouths; a sudden pallor of death comes over our awe- 
stricken faces and we stand dumb, blind and speechless; for 
we have seen the fire come down from heaven on the earth 
in the sight of Man! And the angel of the Lord Jesus 
Christ, to allay our fears, places his hand on our heads, and 
whispers soft and low in our ears, "'Tis I, be not afraid. Lo ! 
I am with you always, even to the end." 

I ask you, my brethren, have you seen the fire? Yea, 
verily. For without a corporation which is the Beast that 
"Was, Is Not, and Yet Is," there had never been produced 
in this beautiful world the Electric Light. 

Now, my brethren, a few more points and I am done 
with the evidence, and then I will ask you to recount with 
me a few of this creature's crimes. 

John says (verse 14) : "And he deceived them that 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 101 

dwell on the earth by means of those miracles which he had 
power to do in the sight of the Beast; saying to them that 
dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the 
Beast." 

In the oil-fields of the United States the Standard Oil 
Company did deceive the people into making an image of the 
Beast; but when Standard Oil saw fit, It covered the little 
image with the snakey slime of Gold and swallowed it up 
like a snake would a toad. 

Verse 15 continues and says, in effect, as many of these 
little images as would not worship the Beast were killed ; and 
that is also true. 

Verse 16 : "And he caused both small and great, rich 
and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right 
hand, or in their foreheads." Verse 17 continues with : "And 
that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark 
of the Beast, or the number of his name." 

Thus continues the harmonious description of the Trust 
and the Beast. The big companies, the little ones and all 
private enterprises receive the mark or price of the Beast 
that "Was, Is Not, And Yet Is," or The Trust Corporations ; 
for they have encompassed every line of business, so that 
the clerks in the stores and the small dealers cannot do busi- 
ness until they have permission of the Combined Beast called 
the Trust; which is the bastard child of the Standard Oil 
Company ; for they all compose the Beast with the seven heads 
and seventy horns. 

We now consider the last verse of the chapter, which 
says: "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding 
count the number of the Beast : for it is the number of a man; 
and his number is six hundred three score and six" 

John says we must have understanding if we count the 
number of the Beast; which is to say, we must search studi- 
ously if we find the Beast that has the number 666 and, at 
the same time, fills the description he gives us in the pre- 
ceding verses of the chapter. 

My friends, I have spent many weary hours studying 
this text. I have tried many tests, but could never find any- 
thing that would fit the description, and at the same time 



102 Joseph yead; ok 

supply the number; so I was forced to give up my search for 
the Beast with the number mentioned by the prophet; and 
though I was reluctant to do so, I was forced to conclude 
that I had not the understanding necessary to count the 
number of the Beast. 

My friends, we all agree that the mind of man is finite 
and cannot discern the Infinite; and while coming events 
may cast their shadows before, yet we are not able to deter- 
mine from the shadow what the form is that casts its shadow 
across our pathway until the shadow-casting thing has pre- 
sented itself before us. 

I believe the seeming mysteries in the Bible will at some 
time be made clear; when the prophecies have reached their 
fulfillment and their existence becomes finite, so we can see 
their presence, feel their power, and can examine their phys- 
ical forms, or feel their effects, as we now trace the foot- 
prints of beasts, and the marks of serpents after they have 
passed and left in our sight their marks in the sands and 
roadways. 

So, my brethren, when I read in the papers that United 
States Attorney General Moody had commenced proceedings 
against the Standard Oil Company, and that he had found 
seven heads of concerns, and seventy branch concerns, all 
feeding the one body of stockholders, it was then this vision 
presented itself to my mind, and was "as clear as the moon, 
as bright as the sun, and as terrible as an army with ban- 
ners." (Bible.) It seemed that all manner of thoughts 
clamored for recognition at the same time, and my mind 
was confused and I was forced to use my pencil to transcribe 
those little things called "thoughts" on paper for further ref- 
erence. When I had finished I found a most intangible and 
mixed mass of thoughts without beginning or end. 

I did nothing for the next few days but read and re- 
read the 13th chapter of Eevelation and compare the words 
of the prophet with my thoughts; for I was impressed with 
the idea that I had either really discovered something of 
value to man or that I was no longer a sane man. 

The reading of the Word reassured me, and I began, little 
by little, to divide and place the thoughts I had written in 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 103 

f orm, assigning each thought to the verse to which it seemed 
to belong, for we are commanded to rightly divide the scrip- 
ture. When I had finished harmony had taken the place 
of confusion, and, to my mind, the whole matter had become 
a Eevelation. 

John the Eevelator says in his directions for us to 
count the number. Then he gives us the number 666; which 
is the same as if he had said, "What you have to do is to 
find the Beast with the number by applying the number 666 
in such manner as will prove it is It, and at the same time 
you must be sure that the Beast also fills the description I 
have given you. You must see seven heads and ten horns, 
or seventy horns in all. And the Beast must also have the 
other characteristics and powers I have described." 

We, therefore, begin by counting the digits in the num- 
ber and we have 3, and as each digit is 6, by adding them 
together we have 18. Now, if we will multiply each digit 
by the number of digits we have 18 in each case. We now 
divide 666 by 18 and we have 37, which is the relative value 
each digit bears to the number of the Beast, or 666. We now 
count the number of words in the legal name of Standard 
Oil Company, when we have three words, which correspond 
to the three digits in the number given by the prophet. We 
now count the number of letters in the three words, Standard 
Oil Company, and we exclaim, How remarkable ! for we have 
the number 18, which has the same relative value to the num- 
ber of the Beast as the digits have to that number, which 
relative value is 37. But to comply with the rule of the 
Bible we must prove by two witnesses, so we will call another 
to testify. We ask that witness how many letters compose 
the joint names of the System, J. D. Bockefeller and Stand- 
ard Oil Company (J. D. Bockefeller System, Standard Oil 
Company). And the answer is 37. And then, if we mul- 
tiply the number of all the letters, which is 37, by the value 
of the separate digits, established by two witnesses, what is 
the result ? It is the number six hundred three score and six ; 
and the number of the Beast, and the number of his whole 
name. Yea, verily, it is the Number of a Man, for J. D. 
Bockefeller-Rogers are as one man, and they make up the 



104 joseph yead; or 

two greater heads of the Beast, the Standard Oil Company, 
and the Beast that "Was, Is Not, and Yet Is." 

The evidence is all in and the argument is made, and 1 
now leave the question with you, my friends, for your con- 
sideration. For in one week from today I will enumerate 
the crimes of this Beast with the power of the dragon. 

And, now, may God add His blessing and may our un- 
derstanding be enlarged upon through the grace of our Lord 
and our God, that we may prepare ourselves so as to be 
worthy a place in the lines of that army that must do battle 
on the side of the people, and as against the powers of the 
Beast. For, of a truth, my dearly beloved, we must be a part 
of that army of an hundred and forty and four thousand, 
having the name of our Lord's Father written in our fore- 
heads. And we must sing "as it were a new song" ; for it is 
written that none can learn that song but the "hundred and 
forty and four thousand." 

Yea, verily, my beloved, let us watch and let us pray that 
we may be permitted to stand in the thickest of that glorious 
battle, for we have the promise of victory. Let us then make 
ourselves worthy of that victory. 






THE STOKY OF THE BEAST. 105 



CHAPTEK V. 

At the close of this sermon the people seemed reluctant 
to depart until all had grasped the hand of Mr. Yead and 
expressed their regard for him. There was fully an hour 
given over to visiting before Mr. Yead finally came out to 
where I had been assisted by kindly hands and awaited him. 
Even then he was followed by more than a dozen men and 
women, who seemed determined to carry Mr. Yead ofl to 
their mountain homes in spite of himself. 

But after he had said good-bye and explained over again 
that though he wished to accede to their wishes, he could only 
go with one of his many friends, he assisted me to mount 
my horse, and, when all was ready, we proceeded to wind 
our way over a bridle trail that led far up the mountain 
side, with the man whose guests we were in the lead. As the 
narrow trail would not admit of two riding abreast, conver- 
sation was rendered difficult. 

So I took advantage of the occasion to commune with 
my own thoughts, and enjoy the wondrous beauty of Nature's 
universe. Our trail crossed and recrossed a mountain brook 
whose crystal waters are the home of the brook and rainbow 
trout. Their movements are like the lightning's flash, and 
they are so swift in water that they can climb a waterfall 
so high that one wonders at the miraculous feat; but after 
one sees them shoot up the falls a few times he would not 
be surprised if he caught them swimming up a sunbeam. 

Before I had time to finish my meditations on the pic- 
turesqe scenery through which we were passing, and which 
seemed endless in extent, we arrived at a mountain lake 
which was a half mile across by two miles in length. As 
we emerged from the forest and proceeded along the south- 



106 Joseph yead; or 

west side of the lake, I let my eyes take in the lake and its 
surroundings. 

A high mountain, which looked as if it had grown bald 
from age, formed the background; then lower down was a 
forest of evergreen woods, then a natural park with a few 
hardy old pine trees scattered here and there down to the 
water's edge. I was just wishing for a boat when my eye 
caught sight of two moored close in to the bank opposite 
me and half hidden by water willows. As soon as we reached 
higher ground I discovered a large cabin built of hewn logs, 
which seemed to nestle back from the trail among the trees. 
As we approached the house there came forth to meet us a 
young girl, and as a happy, gladsome song came floating out 
to us I was sure that none but Gladys could own that voice. 
When the singer came up sure enough it was she. I was so 
glad to see her lovely face and hear her sweet voice again 
I could hardly restrain myself from acting up like some rude 
school-boy would toward his playmate sweetheart, and I am 
not sure but I should have said or done something that would 
have shocked her delicate sense of propriety only I was 
called to account by experiencing extreme pain in my wounded 
limb, caused by putting too much weight on it in leaning for- 
ward to take her hand, which she extended to me after she 
had spoken to our host and received her father's loving 
embrace. 

After Miss Gladys had expressed her gratification at the 
rapid improvement I had made toward recovery we all went 
on to the house, where every comfort was provided for us 
and I was advised to take a much-needed rest, which I was 
glad to do. 

Early the following morning Mr. Yead came to my 
room and informed me that he must attend to some business 
and would be away the greater part of the week, but would 
return about Saturday, if not before. He assured me that the 
people, who were his relatives, would not withhold a hearty 
welcome and would do everything possible to make my stay 
pleasant. 

I hastily dressed myself and was soon at breakfast with 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 107 

the family, Mr. Yead having taken an early breakfast and 
departed. 

The week that followed, spent in this mountain home i 
will never be forgotten while I live. While I could not make 
extended trips into the mountains, owing to the fact I was 
compelled to use a crutch and cane to assist me in locomo- 
tion; yet in the company of Miss Gladys, and sometimes 
other members of the family, we sailed the waters of the lake 
from end to end many times over. We fished, we took short 
excursions on horseback and visited some of the nearest neigh- 
bors, and in talking to the men I could discern the influence 
of Mr. Yead on every hand, for while these people were 
familiar with the doings of the world, they evinced no in- 
terest in politics, and on my seeking to lead them to discuss 
the effect of the anti-trust laws, they would say: "These 
laws have no effect on us one way or the other, for we have 
learned to take advantage of every law that is favorable to 
the trust, and we allow the money princes and the kings of 
finance to fight the bloodless battles for us, in the same man- 
ner as the rich men allow the poor to fight the bloody wars 
for them." 

The strangest thing of all was that when I asked them to 
give me an outline of the plans which worked so admirably 
to the good of all they would make answer: "Read Revela- 
tion, 14:3. No man could learn that song but the Hundred 
and Forty and Tour Thousand." 

So the time flew and when Saturday arrived I was 
really sorry, for I felt as if this was the place for me to 
spend eternity. On Sunday morning we again went to the 
church in the valley, and as we filed along down the trail, 
with Miss Gladys just before me, I could not help but think 
of how she had led the way in our flight before the bandits 
nineteen months before under circumstances very different. 

I recalled the untiring patience she had shown while 
nursing a sick and peevish man — as I was — back to health, 
and how she read and sang for me, and how she had shed 
tears of happiness and joy when I was able to sit up and 
join the family at table the first time. I was now fully awak- 



108 Joseph yead; or 

ened to the fact that the future was dark and joyless if it 
should be that this happy girl must go out of my life. 

But we had now arrived at the church, and the people 
were there before us. Mr. Yead went directly to the pulpit, 
and after the song-service he began the second sermon, or 
"The Sermon on the Crimes of the Beast." 






THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 109 



CHAPTEE VI. 

THE SERMON ON THE CRIMES OF THE BEAST. 

Dear Brethren: As we again come together we have 
reason to thank God for His blessings. We have health and 
are able to enjoy the wealth of sunshine which is the gift 
of God. Our hopes are high for the future, for we have heard 
the warning against the power of the Beast, which God has 
given to men through His prophets. 

We have applied the remedies given us by God's Word, 
both in temporal and spiritual things, and found they are 
sufficient for all our needs. Yea, my beloved, I have faith 
in your fidelity to right and in God's plans for the good of 
all people. 

I am glad to know that even at this hour there is in 
our midst a man destined by the All-wise Creator to act as 
His servant in gathering the people together under the ban- 
ner of the "Hundred and Forty and Pour Thousand/' where 
they can learn the "Ntew Song," which is a secret from the 
mighty hosts that are marshaled together under the com- 
mand of the Beast. For 'tis written: "Let not your right 
hand know what your left hand doeth." We are glad of the 
evidence we have that God still strives with the people and 
uses His chosen servants to point out the dangers that threaten 
them. We praise God and rejoice when we see the evidence 
that God is still planning for the people's good, even if 
they have for centuries rejected His counsel given through 
the prophets and later through wise statesman of our day 
and of the generation just passed from this life to the life 
beyond. 

Abraham Lincoln saw as a vision the awful menace to 
the liberties of the people in the centralization of wealth 
growing out of the war and the railroad subsidies legislation 



110 JOSEPH yead; or 






and the robbing of the people by premiums on gold forced 
by vampires who had the government by the throat. For the 
Beast forced the people to give more than a "pound of flesh," 
when it had not a semblance of a contract by which the peo- 
ple had agreed to give them flesh, much less blood, which 
was taken from a suffering people because of their sore dis- 
tress. 

Washington warned the people against keeping one man 
in office too long. Many of our countrymen have warned the 
people of their danger, and pointed out the crimes already 
perpetrated against the people; but those whom they sought 
to serve turned a deaf ear, and closed their eyes to the finger 
that sought to point them to a place of safety. And thus our 
brethren who sought to do good and not evil all the days 
of their lives passed to the other shore with sorrowing hearts, 
because of the suffering that was to come to those they loved. 
For the people "having ears, hear not; and eyes, see not. v 
We have stood near their open grave and cried out with Eero., 
"On, on with the dance!" and we, too, have been "fiddling 
while Eome is burning." In the face of all this I say we 
have stood idly by while the Beast "That Was, Is Not, and 
Yet Is" has grown from a mere speck on the body politic to 
the Monster that John points out as having power over all 
that dwell upon the earth. 

The Prophet Habakkuk says, in describing the Beast, 
that he enlargeth himself as Hell, and is as Death; and he 
gathereth to him all nations, and heapeth to him all people. 
As each head of this Beast has separate functions, and has 
charge of separate crimes, we will examine into the crimes 
of each head separately. 

We will begin with the Petroleum Oil Head. This head 
has committed many crimes, but, like a wise old serpent, 
hides not only its miserable old carcass, but its works also; 
and there are no authenticated statistics obtainable, and we 
can see its work only by the small concerns it sucks into its 
capacious maw, around which it first casts its tentacles as the 
devil-fish does with its prey. If you cut off one arm, another 
comes in its place. Even the United States courts seem pow- 
erless to learn how to destroy this Monster. So we can only 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. Ill 

guess of its crimes and make comparison. We know that the 
income of Mr. Eockef eller,- who is only one of the men known 
to belong to this head, is $60,000,000 a year. 

In other words, one man that composes only a small 
part of this head receives more in one year than one thou- 
sand families could spend for the necessaries of life in a 
natural lifetime. In fact, one hundred thousand families 
could live in perfect opulence on his income from year to 
year. Yet, my friends, Eockefeller returns not one penny's 
worth of value to the people, or to the earth from whence he 
takes this enormous wealth. When we think of the fact that 
he can^t even comprehend its vastness, much less enjoy it 
personally, we then see the enormity of the crime; for he 
segregates and holds this wealth in lands and other property, 
and the people suffer because of the loss of its use, and at the 
same time it is not used by him, nor could it be if he lived a 
million years. 

I now pass to the next head, the Iron and Steel Trust. 
S-t-e-a-1 in its meanest and lowest application is too good 
a name for this head: for it has stolen from the government 
that fed and fattened it and gave it life. The steel armor 
frauds perpetrated by this beastly head on the steel-clad ships 
of Uncle Sam's navy are a sufficient crime to damn this 
Beast to perdition. 

But we must hasten, so we will pass this head of the 
Beast. Also the Meat Trust Head, by simply saying that 
millions of labor wealth have been taken from the people by 
this Monster head of the Beast. We will also pass for the 
present the heads and horns of this monster known to men 
as the Lumber Trust, Tobacco Trust, The Binder-Twine, 
Bope, Coal, and many other trusts that we cannot spare the 
time to mention. All of which have power to draw the 
products of labor from the pockets of the people. 

Is it any wonder that Christ said : ''Woe unto you that 
are rich;" fr Woe unto you also, ye lawyers, for ye laden men 
with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch 
not the burdens with one of your fingers." For, men and 
brethren, do not the men who have grown rich from their 



112 joseph yead; or 

thievery always have the lawyers on their side to assist them 
to fasten the burden on the backs of the toilers? 

I am not talking politics, but I am pointing out condi- 
tions with no reference to parties, nor the little obscure law- 
yer who has as hard a time to make both ends meet as the 
least of the poor, for I am sure there is no relief to be gained 
from any political party that has been, is now, or to be here- 
after organized. 

We will now devote our time to three heads of the Beast 
whose records are more open, and which we can get some facts 
about, namely: The Eailroad Head, the Insurance Head and 
the Whiskey Head. 

We will first notice the Eailroad Head. This head, my 
friends, is not half as greedy as the ones I have mentioned, 
nor those I will mention hereafter; for they are used only as 
tools to crush out competition by the various heads of the 
Beast. The record of this corporation, or head, does not show 
so black as many others, but even that is saying but little 
in its favor. 

Up to 1862 there was, comparatively speaking, but very 
little railroad built in the United States. But from that time 
on, and up to the time when the people began to learn some- 
thing of the thievery of railroad building, and began a ter- 
rific howl, every railroad constructed was conceived in thiev- 
ery and born in robbery; and there is irrefutable evidence 
that there was second-hand bribery used in high places to 
accomplish the robbing of the people of the United States. 
(Some writers fearlessly charge that the bribery was not 
second-hand, but overt and almost open.) One thing sure, 
and well known to almost every one, which is that the United 
States government built and paid for the Union and Central 
Pacific railroads, then gave them to the stockholders; and 
in order to make the gift more pleasing, the government 
added $42,000,000 of the people's money in the form of 6 
per cent bonds. It is a further fact that the stock issued by 
these two roads, though it carried with it the legal ownership 
of the roads, did not represent a dollar in money actually 
paid out by the parties to whom the stock was issued. It 
is another fact that the government allowed these roads to 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 113 

bond themselves for $94,000,000, which is the amount the 
government paid for their construction, and $43,000,000 more 
than they actually cost. The government's claim was made 
a second lien, which has never been paid, interest or principal. 

Some writers say that congress must have been hypno- 
tized, but we have rather strong evidence that the medium 
used to carry the hypnotic influence was in the form of stock 
of the Credit Mobilier, which was the most peculiar corpora- 
tion ever organized, and was described as the "wheel within 
a wheel," whereby the government paid construction profits 
to the owners of the roads, besides giving them the roads. 

Another remarkable fact is that the grafters induced 
the government, while in the giving-away-of-the-people's- 
money business, to enlarge their generosity and give away 
the people's land also. So they gave away in Nebraska and 
Kansas about 64,000 farms of 160 acres each. The value 
of such farms, at a very low valuation, was over 50,000,000 
dollars. Then again, wonderful to relate, the government, 
to enhance the value of the land given away, restricted home- 
steaders from acquiring more than 80 acres inside the rail- 
road limit, which was twenty miles on each side of the road, 
which transaction doubled the value of the railroad gift land. 

Methinks I hear you ask, Is that all? and I am com- 
pelled to say no, for I must tell you that men who pre-empted 
land inside of the railroad grant were compelled to pay $2.50 
an acre to the government for it, while the man across the 
road, outside of the railroad grant, had to pay only $1.25 
an acre for the same kind of land. In other words, the set- 
tler had to double up and get the same number of settlers 
inside the grant limit as outside, and every time a settler pre- 
empted a home he paid for his farm and also one for the 
railroad company; and when this man who paid for a farm 
for the railroad company sent freight over, or wished to ride 
on the road, he paid just as much for the privilege as other 
people who had not so directly contributed to the wealth of 
"these poor fellows who owned the railroad'' by buying them 
a farm! 

I will not recite at length the practices of these com- 
panies in watering their stocks in order that they will not 



114 JOSEPH yead; or 

show a too great per cent of earnings; nor their methods of 
freezing out the small stockholders by reorganization, and 
going into the courts under a receiver; and how they allow 
foreclosure and a few buy in the road at a small part of its 
value, for all well-informed people know about that villainy. 
I must hasten on as I have many greater crimes to lay at 
the door of this head. 

In 1904 there was in force in the United States railroad 
stock of a par value of $6,477,045,374, which is many times 
more than the cost of construction. They have in bonded in- 
debtedness $8,355,077,374. This money, which was derived 
from the sale of bonds, built and equipped the roads, which 
leaves the stock all water, as it does not represent a dollar 
paid out by the original holders of such stock toward the 
actual building or equipping of the roads. 

I do not wish to be understood to say that all who own 
stock in railroads received it free of expense, for that is not 
the case. But I do say that the men who received it in the 
first instance not only did not pay anything for it, but, in 
addition to their getting the stock free, they received mil- 
lions of dollars in 6 per cent government bonds also, as free 
as the water of the Mississippi river. 

Anyone fairly well informed can, if they will, trace the 
foundation of the vast fortunes of Stanford, Huntington, 
Croker and Hopkins to the free gift of railroad stocks and 
bonds of the United States, together with the free land grants. 

Of course, when stock was sold by these people they re- 
ceived good money for it, but we notice that just before an 
increase in the capital stock the earnings of the roads are 
depressed and the stock depreciates in value and is bought 
up by the manipulators, and when the big end of it is in their 
hands they issue more stock to themselves, which they claim 
represents the increased value because of the improvements 
and extensions, when, in fact, the extensions and improve- 
ments were paid for from the earnings of the roads, and thus 
the people are made to pay for new roads that they do not 
own out of their stock and the earnings that belong to them 
if they received their just dues. 

The reports show that the people pay in freight and pas- 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 115 

senger charges, over and above all running expenses of rail- 
roads in the United States, the sum of $487,322,366 each 
year. From this sum the roads pay $275,800,200 interest 
on their first mortgage bonds, which bonds are held in most 
cases by the owners of the roads. This leaves them $211,- 
522,166 to put in their pockets as a profit on something that 
does not represent an original investment of a dollar. To 
illustrate this and make it plain, we will suppose you could 
find some one who would loan the full cost of a house, say 
$1,000.00; now we will say the interest on the money is $5 
per month or $60 a year, and that you rented the house for 
$10 a month. Would you not receive a profit of $60 a year 
on an original investment of nothing, except a piece of paper 
called a Deed, which paper cost you nothing. Now again; 
if you would sell that paper for $500 in cash would you not 
be selling that paper at a fictitious value, or a value arbitra- 
rily fixed by yourself, and not fixed by the original cost, so 
that your stock in the house is water, and it remains water 
after you sell it to another. So it is with railroad stocks; 
they draw from the labor of this country millions of profits 
on nothing but a paper title. 

That is not all, for we find that 10,000 men, called 
officers, draw an average of $9 a day, and no lost time charged 
against them, and all their expenses are paid ; while 1,300,000 
men, whose work is much harder, draw an average of $2.25 
a day, and pay their own expenses, and lose all the time that 
they are not actually at work, which lost time reduces their 
wages to about $1 per day for the year. In other words, 
10,000 men get $1,080,000 a year for light work; while the 
same number of laborers, with much harder work, get only 
an average of $22,500 per year. Still, in other words, one 
set of men gets $1,067,000 more money than the same num- 
ber of men in another class. 

We close consideration of this head of the Beast by say- 
ing that the system of keeping extra men in most all depart- 
ments of railroad employment, who make a mere living by 
working when the regular men lay off, serves the companies 
as a safeguard in case of strikes, for the men on the extra 
board are anxious to get regular jobs, and some of them will 



116 JOSEPH yead; or 

work as strike-breakers, if occasion requires, in order that 
they get steady employment. Thus the average wages actu- 
ally paid to all the men, regular and extra, is reduced very 
low for the year, and just furnishes a bare living for the man. 

Thus ends the description of the methods and crimes of 
the smallest and the least criminal of the Heads of the Beast 
we have to consider. We will now turn to the next Head of 
the Beast, which is called the Insurance Head. 

Dear brethren, let us thank God that we of this our 
community are not under the awful ban of this beastly head. 
Yet we have sorrow for the hardships that are suffered by 
our fellowmen who are robbed because they love their wives 
and children. 

But we have reason to thank God for his light, for it 
has penetrated the minds of many people, and they have 
banded themselves together in Fraternal Societies which ac- 
cumulate widows' and orphans' funds to educate and care 
for them in youth and in widowhood. This we recognize as 
a step toward God's plan that we of the Society of Yead 
adopted at the beginning of our association. 

However, my brethren, we realize that their partial fail- 
ure comes from the fact that they are divided into so many 
separate orders. Thus the cost is enormously increased over 
what it would be had they but one, or even three or four, 
organizations to keep up. 

We have discovered another serious defect in their plans, 
for they pay large sums of money into the hands of people 
who are without experience in any kind of business, becom- 
ing easy prey to designing persons, or victims of failing banks 
and other business ventures, and are soon left in poverty, 
and their sons drift into the service of the Beast, where they 
serve for a mere existence, or sink into the slums of crime 
and are lost to society and become strangers to God's right- 
eousness ; and the daughters fill the bad houses of the eastern 
cities, or toil in the sweat-shops in poverty, and those who try 
to follow the laws of God's nature in marriage must dwell in 
crowded tenement houses, where their offspring have no ad- 
vantages and can learn naught but crime and lewdness. Sta- 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 117 

tistics show that 90 per cent of those who receive insurance 
are in poverty three years thereafter. 

Christ commanded his followers saying, "Be ye brethren." 
And God taught his chosen people to work together that the 
whole might succeed. 

We find the German people have more nearly followed 
this method than any other nationality, except, perhaps, the 
Swedes and Norwegians; and their uniform business success 
is the marvel of the new world. The cause of their success is 
traceable to the fact that they guard the community interests 
under the direction of the experienced Fathers, and help each 
other through their clan. 

So it has come to pass that we have resolved to send 
forth God's workers, that we may assist Him in banishing 
crime and poverty, and doing battle against the Powers of the 
Beast, and help the people to help themselves. 

But, as I have explained all this before, we will now look 
into one of the greatest robberiess the world has ever known. 
This Head works on the love of the father and the husband 
for his wife and children. It uses the divine sentiment of 
men to thrust its thieving hands into the pockets of its victims. 
Next to the oldest of these beastly vampires is the Mutual 
Life, of New York, which is over sixty years old, and while 
the same proportion of steal to the amount paid into these 
concerns was always about the same, the gross stealings were 
not so great at first, for the very good reason that they did 
not get the money, and therefore, they could not steal it. 

Men of the most powerful talents were placed in the field 
by these companies to preach protection by life insurance to 
the people, and to create sentiment in that direction, and they 
succeeded so well that the first concern was a success from the 
start; and then, as soon as men learned of the golden harvest 
to be reaped by being at the head of the concerns, there seemed 
a spontaneous growth of them, and they were organized thick 
and fast, until hundreds were brought into existence, and 
their agents were to be found everywhere. 

The people paid into the insurance companies in 1904 
the sum of $650,000,000. The same year the companies paid 
back to the people, from the people's own money, the sum of 



118 Joseph ybad; or 

$165,000,000 in death losses, dividends and surrender values. 
In other words the people handed the insurance companies 
$1 and the companies gave thirty cents back. And that is 
what they call protecting the people against loss ! 

I do not believe I would experience difficulty in any 
Christian city or community in finding as many men as I 
would call upon who would be willing to give me a good note, 
well secured, for $30 in return for $100 in lawful money of the 
realm. I am sure that if I should make this proposition, and 
convince the people I meant it by placing the money in sight, 
that I would have men around me in an hour like good house- 
wives around a bargain counter. 

Yet that is the very thing the insurance companies have 
fooled the policy-holders into doing. The people handed over 
to the companies $70 for the privilege of paying their loved 
ones $30 of their own money after they are dead! And 
then I hear the people call that business, and safe insurance ! 
I will tell you what I call it. I call that kind of business" 
the working of the Black Art; or the hypnotic influence of 
the Great Snake, or Eed Dragon, whose power was given to 
The Beast that "Was, Is Not, and Yet Is." 

It reminds me of a story I once heard. A Sunday-school 
teacher requested the children to recite a verse the next Sun- 
day, as they deposited their offering to the Foreign Missions. 
Three little boys responded with the verse as requested. Here 
are the verses: First boy, "God loveth a cheerful giver"; 
second boy, "It is more blessed to give than to receive"; 
third boy, "The fool and his money soon parteth." So, my 
friends, the poor laboring man who dumps his hard-earned 
cash into the coffers of Old Line Insurance Companies, to be 
used by them in paying millions of dollars for two-cent 
princes for their misguided daughters, is in the same boat 
with the man who so easily parts with his cash. 

This, my friends, is not all the story, for in the recent 
Armstrong investigation, by the insurance department, : ; t 
was found that two men, Eichard A. McCurdy and his son, 
drew jointly, from The Mutual Life, of New York, $266,000 
per year. That, my friends, is more money than the Gov- 
ernors of all the States combined receive in salaries. All 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 119 

the companies do not have such highly-paid officers and 
agents, but they are all paid in about the same proportion, 
with respect to income and volume of business; so the result 
is about the same in all old-line companies, so far as the 
cost to the policy-holders is concerned. Some people say 
they are safe because they collect so much money they cannot 
go broke. They are indeed safe for the stockholders ! 

But there is another phase of the question that is worthy 
of consideration, namely : I assert that every company on 
earth fails for someone every month of the year, for every 
time a policy-holder is forced to lapse out because of exces- 
sive premiums, or for any reason discontinues his insurance 
in one of these companies, that company has failed so far as 
this policy-holder is concerned, and he has lost every dollar 
he paid into it. The company has his money, for which they 
never did, nor never will, return to him a penny. It cannot 
even be urged that he received the benefits of the insurance 
cost for the time he was insured, for had he not been 
forced to pay two-thirds more than he should have done, at 
a just rate, he could have made his payments and kept in- 
sured; but now, because of his advanced age, he must pay 
higher premiums for future insurance. Thus you will see 
he pays again, in increased cost, for the time he carried the 
lapsed policy. 

But let us look at just one of the big companies and see 
what we can figure out. The Mutual Life has over $1,600,- 
000,000 in force, but in over sixty years it has but $441,000,- 
000 saved out of the billions of dollars received from the peo- 
ple. So if there were no more lapses in policies, and every 
man continued until his policy was matured, this company 
could not meet its liability by nearly one billion dollars, for if 
it does in future as it has in the past, it would have only 
$882,000,000 to pay $1,600,000,000 in insurance with; but 
those interested do not worry, for they know that thousands 
will drop out because of the excessive premiums and leave 
millions in their hands. 

So this is a wise old Head, for it places the premiums 
so high that they force about 90 per cent out of the game 
before death or the expiration of the payment period, and in 



120 JOSEPH yead; OB 

this way they have a fine lose-your-money-or-your-life game, 
and not an investment, as they would have yon believe. The 
only investment I can find in it is the investment made by 
the duped policy-holders for the benefit of the company and 
its officers. If one will figure just a little he will find it 
the best game of "Heads I win, tails you lose" on record, 
except one, perhaps, which is the Whiskey Trust. 

Take an old-line rate book and figure it out for your- 
self. You will find that in any form of endowment insur- 
ance you pay in more money if you live and pay it out than 
will be returned to you, not counting interest at all. If you 
will get the mortuary tables and figure from them you will 
see that what is true of endowment is also true of all other 
policies, from the whole life down to the single payment. 
Even in the cheapest policy the old liners sell they receive 
from payment and interest at 4 per cent an average of $700 
more than they return to the policy-holder. 

I will give the results on a one-thousand dollar policy 
at the age of 35, in the whole-life policy of the Mutual Life, 
presuming that they all lapse after twenty years (the poli- 
cies to carry $1,000 each). Number of deaths in twenty 
years, 211 (see mortuary table); policies paid, 211; cash 
necessary to pay policies, $211,000; amount paid in by policy- 
holders, $557,600; balance in hands of company after pay- 
ing losses, $346,600. 

Space and time will not permit, or I would be pleased 
to submit figures on all policies offered by companies to the 
public, but this will serve as a starter for those wishing to 
investigate and they can continue the subject by using the 
rate books of the companies and the interest tables, which 
they will find in almost any Eate Book, as well as Tables of 
Expectancy, and Mortuary Tables. 

I cannot resist the temptation to make a few compari- 
sons before I close this subject. The companies in the United 
States receive in premiums over 400 million dollars each year 
in excess of what they return to the policy-holders in death 
losses, dividends and expenses (I have given the old-line com- 
panies 85 millions more than is found to be necessary by the 
fraternal insurance orders). Therefore, It will be readily seen 






THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 121 

that these companies take more money in profits every five 
years than there is in circulation in this country. In every 
fifty years their profits would buy a $1,250 home for every 
man, woman and child in the United States. Then stop and 
ask yourself why millions of our countrymen are homeless 
and why, so many of our old men and women, who have 
spent their lives in honest toil, are in the poor-house, and 
now, when the winter of life is upon them, when they need 
to be comforted, are doomed to a weary wait for death to 
take them hence; and that, too, my brother, when they 
have produced more wealth in their lives than would keep 
them in comfort, and even luxury, even if they lived four 
lives as long as they have one. 

I am sure no one would expect anything more from 
these machines of robbery and extortion when they learn 
that the men employed by the different heads of concerns 
are directly under the control of the Standard Oil Company 
and its illegitimate offspring, the Trust, which is the second 
Beast spoken of by John the Eevelator, who received the 
power of the first Beast, which I have offered abundant 
proof is the Standard Oil Company, with its many heads 
and horns. 

We cannot with reason expect more from this mysteri- 
ous Thing called an IT when we consider the fact that there 
is not one drop of human kindness or sympathy in its compo- 
sition. 

It has no real existence, except by fiat of law and the 
acquiescence of human beings; yet it does exert its deadly 
power over the destinies of peoples and nations. It has no 
blood, soul or conscience; it cannot feel pain, or sorrow; 
nor can it experience pleasure in the good or the beautiful, 
nor appreciate the joys of an ideal existence. 

It uses men as tools to further its ends, which are only 
to satisfy its gluttonous desire to fill its maw with the sub- 
stance of the earth, and the people whom it has robbed, 
crushed and enslaved. 

Thomas W. Lawson stirred up the animals with his fire- 
brand of exposure, and he has been vindicated by investiga- 
tions which proved his exposures to be true. 



122 Joseph tbad; or 

Did not the McCalls, the McCurdies and the Alexanders 
admit their own guilt by their willingness to resign positions 
that were gold mines to them. Did not Mr. Lawson say the 
Standard Oil and its "System" pay their henchmen well 
for their perfidy, and is it not proof to any man with intelli- 
gence that the heads of these insurance companies were only 
tools to do the bidding of the beastly Standard Oil, with its 
seven heads and many horns and branches ? 

Does any one believe the presidents of these companies 
would have lain down so easily if they had held their offices 
in their own right, and had not been engaged in the nefarious 
business of robbing the people of their money, which they 
could use to buy legislatures and other governmental bodies 
for the Standard Oil and the System of the Beast? And 
finally, what more evidence than I have given is necessary 
to prove that the men who officer these companies are any- 
thing but servants of the Standard Oil Company? It would 
seem that such evidence would appeal to the most unthink- 
ing as being conclusive. 

And yet, besides all this, we have the sworn and written 
statement of Thomas W. Lawson and others to the effect 
that this Beast is under the direction of the Standard Oil 
Company, and has corrupted legislatures and other law-en- 
acting bodies of the United States. The crimes of perjury, 
treason, grand larceny and the crime of forcing men to sui- 
cide have been imputed to them, and remain unchallenged. 

Mr. Hamilton admitted that he received hundreds of 
thousands of dollars for his services and to be used in defeat- 
ing laws that would tend to hurt the business of this Beastly 
Thing. 

On my last visit to the Eastern States I gathered some 
statements that I found spread upon the records in the In- 
surance Departments of the State House of the several states,, 
which I give in deductive substance. 

I learn from these sworn statements that every $1,000 
invested in the organization of old-time insurance companies 
twenty-five years ago is now worth $30,000, and in addition 
to that has paid in cash $500 each year into the pockets of 
the stockholders. Eighty-two of these companies have taken 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 123 

from the people in profits 300 billions of money, in addition 
to the sum of over 15 millions paid in cash dividends, which 
is 50 per cent per annum on the original investment. 

In addition to all this, they pay enormous salaries and 
keep up expensive agency companies to which the companies 
pay renewal commissions. Fifteen of these old-line com- 
panies paid out in seven years $130,465,062 dollars to these 
agencies' companies — not from their own money, but from 
the funds that belonged to the people. 

Yet they exclaim: "See what good we do in the world, 
for we employ thousands of men, and we pay them the high- 
est wages of any business in the world." The people cry: 
"Hallelujah!" and cry out in the language of Christ's Eeve- 
lation, "Who is liken unto the Beast?" and "Who can malce 
war with him?" 

Yea, verily, the people do worship the Beast, and the 
prophecies of Eevelation are fulfilled. 

The people are taught by the hypnotic influence of the 
Beast that they are making an enormous per cent on their 
savings when they get 6 per cent to 8 per cent interest on their 
money. Yet, organized wealth in insurance companies, farm 
loan companies, railroads and manufactories of all lines, 
which are parts of the Beast, receive from 50 per cent to 250 
per cent on the original capital actually invested. So that 
there is not more than 6 per cent to 8 per cent left for the 
people, after the Beast takes its unjust share. 

So again we behold the fulfillment of Christ's prophecy 
given us through John, for it is written: "He deceiveth 
them that dwell on the earth by means of these miracles which 
he has power to do" 

So, my dearly beloved, let us give of our substance that 
the Light may be carried to our suffering brethren in the 
states from whence we came, and whom we love, that the good 
people of this our beloved country may be freed from the 
power of the BEAST, that the fear of suffering in old age 
may be removed from them and be replaced with brotherly 
love and kindness for their fellow man, that their hearts 
may be softened toward the radiant beauty of Nature, and 



124 Joseph yead; or 

that they may discard falsehood and deceit, which they must 
now practice to live. 

May God add His blessings. Amen. 

When Mr. Yead had dismissed the meeting, and after 
a love-feast of hand-shaking, I was introduced to the people 
as the man who was to spread the good work now enjoyed 
by these simple folk among the people of the Eastern States. 

We again returned to the mountain home of Mr. Ander- 
son, who was a cousin of Mr. Yead, where we passed another 
week all too quickly. 

On the following Sunday we again went to the church 
in the valley, where we listened to the last great sermon 
poured out to the people by that wonderful speaker who is 
known in the beginning of this story as "J. Y." or the man 
with the "white whiskers," but whose full name is Joseph 
Yead. 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 125 



CHAPTEK VII. 

the second sermon on the crimes of the beast. 

Dear Brethren in Christ as well as Humanity : 
As we take up the subject let us apply our minds carefully 
to the lesson. 

You will find the text in Habakkuk, second chapter, and 
beginning at the second verse to verse five inclusive: 

"And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, 
and make it plain upon tables that he may run that read- 
eth it. 

"For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the 
end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; 
because it will surely come. 

"Behold his soul which is lifted up is not upright in 
him : but the just shall live by his faith. 

"Yea, also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a 
proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his de- 
sire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gath- 
ereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people." 

To close these lessons on the "Beast," we now take up 
the Head of the Beast called the Whiskey Head. 

This head is the most diabolical of any I have heretofore 
mentioned. That this is one of the heads of the Beast that 
John saw is proved by abundance of evidence, for when de- 
natured alcohol was perfected and the people began to think 
they had something they could use instead of the product of 
the Standard Oil Company they were soon undeceived, for 
the Standard Oil Company had control of all the biggest 
stills. The small ones were powerless to compete with them, 
for the moment they tried to do so their doom was signed, 
sealed and delivered. 



126 Joseph yead; or 

We again are convinced that the big breweries and dis- 
tilleries are in the Trust and under the control of the Beast 
from the fact that almost every saloon receives its fixtures 
free, from the breweries and wholesale whiskey houses, and 
that, in many instances, the city licenses are paid by them'. 

Therefore the saloon man is but an agent of the Trust, 
and he is under the control of the Trust. And as the Whiskey 
Head of the Beast dictates to its agents what brand of stuff 
they shall keep on sale, this constitutes a monopoly which 
gives them absolute power to crush opposition. So the smaller 
concerns must worship the Beast or be killed (See Bevela- 
tion, 13:15). "Neither can they buy or sell, 'unless they go 
in to (co-operate with) the Beast' and receive his mark in 
their hand or their forehead/' (Bev. 13:16.) With this 
proof as to the identity of this head, we now pass to the 
crimes perpetrated against the people by this most beastly 
of all Beasts. 

We turn to the United States Census Beports and we 
find some very intersting data, which give an idea how this 
curse on humanity robs the people of their substance, as well 
as their manhood. 

We gather from the Census Beports that there is con- 
sumed in the United States 1,658,609,958 gallons of liquors 
per year, not considering the illicit still product (which the 
same authority says is very large), and besides the illicit stills, 
there are 2,000 small stills not reported because they were 
not canvassed. (See Census Beports.) 

Now, as beer sells for an average of 80 cents per gal- 
lon by wholesale, and very much more than that when sold 
by the glass, we conclude that the price obtained by saloons 
would be at least $2 a gallon. When we consider that the 
United States revenue is $1.10 a gallon on whiskey, brandy 
and gins and all kinds of distilled perfume, extracts, etc., 
in which alcohol is used, we must conclude that $2.50 a gal- 
lon would be a very low estimate as the wholesale price of the 
distilled product. When we consider that the man who drinks 
it gets it by the drink, and if we measure the rectified stuff, 
which means water and other cheap materials used, we must 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 127 

conclude that from $8 to $10 a gallon is not more than they 
get at retail for the real whiskey sold by saloons. 

Now, for the sake of being clearly within the limits of 
safety, let us assume that all liquors bring $2 a gallon, which 
we must admit is too low, yet it will serve our purpose, and 
will illustrate the enormous crime committed by this beastly 
head and the loss sustained by the American people. Tak- 
ing this conservative view of the matter, we see that the peo- 
ple pay out each year the enormous sum of $3,317,219,916, 
and in twenty years they pay out $66,344,395,320. Now, 
my friends, what does that vast sum of money mean? It 
is so vast that the human mind cannot measure it because 
it borders on the infinite. 

We can, however, see that this vast sum of money would 
buy over two billion acres of land and pay over thirty dollars 
an acre for it; which would furnish every man, woman and 
child in this country with a home spot of more than twenty 
acres of ground, the product's of which will support at least 
twenty people, or a population twenty times greater than 
we now have. 

Let us carry the figures a little further. Sixty-six bil- 
lion dollars is more money than there is in circulation in 
the world — five times over. If the people would place the 
amount paid out for whiskey each year in a common fund, 
and could get 6 per cent interest and compound it each year 
for twenty years, it would amount to over 128 billions of dol- 
lars, or enough money to build a $7,200 home for every 
family in the United States. If that money was placed at 
6 per cent interest per annum it would furnish an income to 
each family of $432 a year, which is more than the average 
family of the laboring classes receives in a year from the 
labor of the head of the family in wages. If this 7,200 dol- 
lars was invested so it would bring 10 per cent, it would in- 
crease the income of each family $720 a year. I hear the 
objection offered to this earning power of money being placed 
at 10 per cent on the ground that it is an absolute impossi- 
bility, for the reason that money is constantly seeking in- 
vestment at from 4 per cent to 6 per cent, which I will admit 



128 JOSEPH YEAD; OR 

is true, under the present reign of the Beast, but let us look 
into the matter and see what we can figure out. 

If we could in some way prevent the taking of such enor- 
mous profits by the various heads of this mythical octopus, 
whose stealings and robberies I have described in the lessons 
delivered on two previous occasions, then we could turn our 
money into channels of trade and give the people all their 
earnings, instead of just barely enough to keep them like 
slaves. There is no question that under proper organiza- 
tion, with equal division, the people would receive at least 
20 per cent increase each year, even with the enormous 
waste that results from the present regime of public and 
private business. And more especially so if the Beast was not 
permitted to take to Itself 75 per cent of all increase which 
should go to the people. 

Again, my friends, when we count the waste that is 
practiced by the people caused by the use of strong drink it 
demonstrates to our perfect satisfaction that 30 per cent to 
40 per cent more of the temporal blessings would fall to the 
lot of the people if the Whiskey Head of the Beast was de- 
stroyed. If we spread the "Society of Yead" as we have de- 
termined to do, we will soon see the people flocking to the 
"Army of the Hundred Forty and Four Thousand," which 
army has been designated by God to do battle against the 
Beast, which God says in His Word will be subdued and will 
go to perdition. 

Brethren, a short time since I read an article in a paper 
claiming to be the champion of the laboring men of all 
countries, and the paper scoffed at the idea that $40 per 
year, which it admitted was the average amount spent by the 
laborer each year for strong drink, would have any effect 
toward impoverishing the laboring man. 

Brethren and friends, stop and think. There are about 
10 million laboring men in the United States, which means 
that they spend 400 million dollars every year for drink. Do 
you not know that that sum invested in homes, lands and 
other property would bring sunshine and gladness into lives 
where darkness, poverty and suffering now prevail? For 
shame! For shame that a paper which pretends to be the 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 129 

friend of the Class-Conscious should make such a mistake — 
if it was a mistake (?). 

But let us see what 400 million dollars a year means. 
Take your pencil and figure, when you will see that 400 mil- 
lion a year for twenty years is eight billion dollars, or three- 
quarters of all the money there is in the world, even if none 
of the money was ever lost or destroyed. Eight billion dol- 
lars is more than three times the money in circulation in the 
United States. 

The value of all farm property is given by the Census 
Reports as 20 billion 500 million dollars, and by figuring 
you will see that men who labor drink up the entire value 
of all farm property once in every fifty years. The value 
of farm products is, including farm animals, six billion dol- 
lars. So you see that the laborers drink up that much money 
and two billions more in twenty years. 

Now, friends, that expenditure of money is a total waste, 
and, if saved, would place the laboring man in easy circum- 
stances in a few years. 

You ask me how the simple saving of $40 a year would 
very materially help the laborer? For that would be only 
$800 in twenty years, and it would take thirty years to make 
$1,200 saved. I will admit that $800 is not so very much 
money, but it would seem quite a fortune to a great many 
men who have labored all their lives and have nothing to 
show for their labor, and are now old. But what would be 
the result if laboring people would form a company, such 
as the moneyed men do, and all put their money together, 
as they do, and have one of their number, or hire someone, 
to buy land, or make loans with it, as do the corporations ; in 
that case, at 6 per cent earning power each man would have 
a little over $1,500 in twenty years; and if he would keep 
it up for thirty years it would amount to over $4,500 and 
at the same time force the saloon men and the government 
of the United States out of the whiskey business. Besides 
it would leave in the hands of the honest toilers of our 
country 45 billion 112 million dollars in property. 

Under the present system this money must continue 



130 Joseph yead; ok 

to flow into the coffers of the drones, who do not "Sow, neither 
do they spin," but live like princes from the labor of fools. 

Yet, my friends, they tell the laborer that the licenses 
collected by the city pay police officers and pave streets and 
save the people from paying high taxes, and people believe 
that kind of falsehood. 

Dear Brethren, let us view this question from several 
standpoints and see what there is in it. 

First — We all agree that men go into the saloon busi- 
ness for the purpose of making money. It is also a fact that 
every dollar expended by saloon men must be returned to 
them, together with rent, lights, wages of the bar-tenders, 
and a good profit on the business; for if it were otherwise the 
whiskey men would be forced out of business; hence, every 
dollar of this money is paid by the patrons of the saloons; 
so the men that keep up the saloon are our brothers and are 
the fathers, husbands, and citizens of our towns, and not 
the men running the saloon. 

The Supreme Court of the United States has adjudged 
the whiskey business to be an outlaw ; therefore every license 
issued to men for the sale of whiskey operates just the same 
as if we would appoint a gang of outlaws to hold up our 
farmers, mechanics and laborers and take their money and 
give it to the drones who produce nothing of value to society. 
Just think of a Christian city or state permitting the com- 
mission of crimes for a part of the spoils of the crime ! when 
the city could, without any crime, get more revenue from the 
same citizens, and, at the same time, save to the people at 
least 90 per cent of the cost of collection, which goes to the 
saloon men and Whiskey Trust, under the criminal methods 
of collecting revenue that are employed today. 

Again, we would not have to spend more money than we 
receive prosecuting men for the crimes they commit while 
under the influence of strong drink; nor would we issue per- 
mits to part of our citizens to induce others to form vicious 
habits by which they are made so feeble-minded that they 
will give 90 cents to a saloon-keeper as a commission for 
carrying 10 cents to the city treasurer's office, when the la- 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 131 

borer himself passes the door of the treasury on his way to 
the saloon. 

When we hear a man arguing that the saloon pays his 
taxes for him we must say he does not know what he is 
doing or that he is a knave and cares not for his fellowman 
just so he can induce the laborer to pay his taxes for him, 
or that he is engaged in the business of patting the laborer 
on the back as a means of flattery and saying: "You are a 
good fellow and I think much of the laboring man, for you 
pay a part of my taxes for me and you make it possible for 
me to stay indoors when it is cold and bad weather; and 
you enable me to have a good time with my friends on most 
all other days, for you pay my taxes by drinking, and you pay 
enough to the saloon-keeper so that he can pay me good rent 
on the building where his business is and pay a license fee 
to our government, and I can dodge that tax also. Oh, I 
do like you so well for the good you do me and the govern- 
ment. Do you know, if you were not such a good fellow I 
would have to work in the dirt just like you have to do ?" 

Of course, it does not hurt you, dear laborer or farmer, 
for you are used to it. Then you have little or nothing any 
way, and what you have is mortgaged, and besides you get 
a nice drink of whiskey, which is well worth the money even 
if it does not cost more than 10 cents on the dollar to manu- 
facture it. Then you owe the government your gratitude 
for what it has done for you whiskey drinkers, for the gov- 
ernment has gone to great expense preparing free warehouses 
for the whiskey men to store the whiskey in, and while the 
whiskey is in bond the government places a stamp on the 
package which informs the drunkard how good the whiskey 
really is that he drinks. And then the government collects 
a tax after the whiskey is taken from bond, so you don't 
have to pay for your drink until you get it. 

Let us consider the question from another standpoint. 
When you consider the matter you will be compelled to con- 
clude that every bushel of grain made into whiskey to be 
used as a beverage is a total loss to the people of the world 
as a whole, which I will illustrate as follows : 

If these beings who call themselves men wished to learn 



132 

the truth they could do so by devoting only a few minutes 
of time to honest investigation. 

If anyone will consult a good physician he will tell them 
that alcohol is an anti-septic, which means life-destroyer, and 
taken into the stomach in sufficient quantity it is as deadly 
as any other poison. The doctor will also tell you that there 
is not a particle of food property in pure alcohol, any more 
than there is in wood ashes; nor is it a true stimulant like 
capsicum (pepper) or ginger, for the reason that alcohol 
very soon destroys protoplasm life, while a true stimulant 
quickens but does not kill. 

Again we will assume that all the people were at work 
producing food, raiment and habitations for themselves. They 
would find that they could produce all they could consume, 
and in doing this they need not work but half the time. 
What would you think of the people if they would get to- 
gether and would complain to each other and say : "We have 
all we want of this world's goods and to spare, but we have 
too much time to hunt and fish for pleasure ; and we have too 
much time to visit our friends, and to read and improve our 
minds. Let us select a part of the able-bodied men and set 
them to burning all the grain that we do not need for food 
or feed, which will compel the balance of us to work every 
day and good long hours of the day, in order that we be en- 
abled to keep these destroyers of our product in a manner 
befitting the station to which we will lift them. They will 
have to have the very best of everything; we will bedeck 
their wives and children with diamonds and gold jewelry. 
If we do this we will have no more time for pleasure." 

I ask you again, what would you think of a people who 
would deliberately do this thing? I further submit that is 
just what the people are doing for the men who sell whiskey. 

The people bow down before this monster that they 
exalted, and "They worship the Beast and say 'Who is liken 
unto the Beast, who is able to make war with himf' 

For is it not a fact that all the people keep the few 
men who are in the whiskey business in clothes and food and 
pay their rent and clothe their families and pay them hom- 
age just to have them destroy the corn and rye that it takes 






THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 133 

to produce the whiskey, and is it not a fact that the drink- 
ing of that whiskey does the drinker no good; and is it not 
a fact that the corn and rye used in its manufacture would 
do unlimited good as food if it was placed in the hands of 
poor people who need it to keep them from hunger? And 
is it not a further fact that the laborer leaves off work and 
goes and helps the fellow who has spoiled good corn to make 
poor whiskey throw that whiskey in the sever by way of 
his own stomach? 

My friends, you can influence human beings more surely 
by education, religion and prejudice than by any other agency. 
But the hope of gain has been of late years gaining ground 
as a controlling influence. 

The power of education and religion was shown in the 
war between Japan and Eussia. The Japs, because of their 
religious education, which taught them that to die in defense 
of their country insured them a clear passport to the realms 
of eternal bliss, were as destitute of fear as a feelingless rock. 
We have seen that because of that education they, upon the 
command of their leader, threw their bodies on the bayonets 
of the Eussians in order that they engage the whole atten- 
tion of their country's foe, and at the same time form a 
human bridge over which their comrades might pass and, 
once in the barricade, strike down and put to flight the 
Bussian army. 

We have seen through all the history of the past that 
men have fought to the death for what they were taught 
were their rights. We must all admit that both sides to any 
controversy cannot be right; therefore millions of men gave 
their own lives for what they believed to be right, but was in 
fact wrong. We have seen the Hindoo woman sacrifice her 
first-born babe to the crocodile because of her education and 
religious fervor. England and the colonies were not both 
right, yet they fought and many died. The North and the 
South in this country were not both right, yet they stood 
brother against brother and father against son, with southern 
chivalry and northern valor, each with his life exposed, one 
as unyielding as the other; and thus they fought and died 
for what each believed to be their rights. And to this day 



134 Joseph yead; or 

there stands many a noble mother in the Sunny Southland 
weeping over the grave of a son who died for what she still 
regards as a cause righteous and loved, but lost. 

The rulers in the past, through the church and the minor 
officers of lords, squires, and peers taught the laymen to be 
loyal to and regard the King as a saint, when, in fact, he 
was but a tyrannical knave. So I say, and I do not believe 
I will find any man who will deny the truth of the statement, 
that the Whiskey Trust has used all the artifice known to the 
men who have been their tools to educate by falsehood and 
by working on the freedom-loving minds of men to not free 
them and keep them free; but to enslave them under a curse 
and thus take from them, not only their health and manhood, 
but the wage of their labor. 

Who of us has not been present and heard the tool of 
the Whiskey Trust working on men by diffusing their dirty 
lies, which they call wisdom, and that, too, in the presence 
of boys whose minds are young and susceptible to any kind 
of falsehood that has the appearance of logical truth, and 
who have not experience sufficient to discern the true from 
the untrue. But let me recount some of their sayings which 
appear to unthinking minds as being the very essence of 
wisdom. 

"Prohibition does not prohibit." 

"Kansas with all of her boasted prohibition has more 
licenses issued by the government than any other State with 
the same or more population with open saloons." 

"What is true of Kansas is also true with prohibition 
in Maine." 

We hear fellows thus argue the cause of the devil who 
are either whiskey sellers, or think they derive some pecu- 
niary benefit from its sale ; or they are enslaved in the meshes 
of the whiskey habit; or the charm of the Serpent is upon 
them, and that hypnotic power compels them to speak for 
their master, and that master has filled their minds with the 
falsities of their hellish vices so that they repeat the siren 
song as a poll-parrot does the foolishness of, "Polly wants a 
cracker, Polly wants a cracker." They take particular pains 
to hide the fact that there are fully double the licenses sold 






THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 135 

in Kansas compared to what there would be were it not for 
the fact that in most towns the violators of the law are kept 
on the move so much that they forfeit their licenses by hav- 
ing to get out and hide in order that they may not look 
through checkered bars of steel. And again these hypnot- 
ically controlled men who have sold themselves to the Devil 
and the "Beast that was, is not, and yet is" do not tell 
foolish men and little boys whom they victimize that pro- 
hibition does prohibit to a great measure, which is proved 
by the desperation with which the Whiskey Trust and all its 
hirelings of perdition fight and spend hoards of money to 
defeat prohibition in all States where it has any show of 
becoming a law. I say, my countrymen, that they forget, 
with all their pretended wisdom and logic, to tell why they 
are so anxious to repeal the law or prevent it from being 
enacted if they sell as much of their beer and whiskey in 
the prohibition states as they do in the open saloon states. 

There is another peculiar thing about this question, 
namely: We never hear any man speak from the rostrum 
in favor of the open saloon, and when you approach men not 
engaged in the sale of whiskey directly, they invariably admit 
that the sale of the stuff is a crime and a curse that should 
be wiped from the face of the earth. Yet the hellish doctrine 
is still diffused among our young, so that it is not an uncom- 
mon thing to hear coming from the mouths of young men 
and boys who are not yet out of their 'teens, the stereotyped 
sentence: "Prohibition does not prohibit/' and many of these 
same boys will say that they themselves have been in prohi- 
bition states and could get whiskey in any town in such 
states. I have been quite an investigator of things during 
my life, and I have in a number of instances taken the names 
of boys and young men whom I have heard make the above 
statements, and called upon their parents at their homes 
and there learned that the boys, in most cases, were never in 
any state but the one in which they then lived, and knew no 
more about the workings of prohibition than they did about 
speaking the truth. 

But I am asked what made these boys make such false 
statements ? I answer that these boys were only reciting what 



136 joseph yead; or 

they heard some older person say, who was perhaps a hire- 
ling of the beastly Whiskey Head, which is plying its nefa- 
rious trade of passing out great chunks of educational prop- 
aganda through poor whiskey-soaked and benighted souls; 
while the King of Beasts lies curled up and hidden in the 
Spirits Frumenti that he (the serpent) had used to craze the 
brain, weaken the body, damn the soul, and transmit to the un- 
happy offspring of the children of men the same fetters that 
bound the father in his life as a galley-slave to that awf ill 
Beast which John the Evangelist called an "IT," and we call 
an IT, otherwise known as a Corporation, and the "Beast 
that was, is not, and yet is," which John says "Goeth 
into perdition." (See Eev. 17-11.) 

So I say to mothers and fathers your boys are being 
trained to repeat the vile and false mouthings of that old 
serpent the devil, and are made the unwitting tools of the 
Whiskey Trust to spread the false education, are becoming 
besmirched with it so that soon they will be found singing 
the praises of the Beast, and will vote for his Satanic Maj- 
esty to further intrench himself and forge more chains to 
enslave, not only your sons, but hundreds and thousands of 
other sons of men and women yet unborn. 

But these teachers of darkness bring into play the most 
powerful false argument of all and say, "Men ! Men ! ! What 
kind of stuff are you made of that you disregard your own 
Liberty? Are you not of age and are you not a man and 
free?! ! ! Will you give over your liberty to a few preachers 
and old women? Did not your father fight on the battle- 
field that you might enjoy this glorious liberty of ours, where 
every man is a king over his own actions, where, if you will, 
you may eat and drink what you please and no man shall 
say you Nay?" 

Dear brethren, did you ever stop to consider that the 
freest days of your life were when you were a bare-legged boy 
playing ball upon the green ? When your father provided 
you with food and raiment and your loving mother at bedtime 
prayed for you and said, "God bless the boy!" 

Did your father or grandfather really fight on the battle- 
field so you could have the liberty of taking that liberty of 






THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 137 

which you boast and laying it at the feet of this monster, 
and receive in exchange his yoke of slavery? If he did so 
fight that yon might be free to do this thing, do yon not 
think he was in very poor business, and would it not have 
been as well, even better, if he had left you in bondage to a 
king rather than to have liberated you from the king of 
flesh and blood so you could be free to bind yourself to a 
soulless and conscienceless Serpent that holds you in bond- 
age by the hypnotic dope called rectified whiskey that is 
made from the sugar extracted from cast-off rags, glucose 
and all manner of refuse molasses that cannot be sold to 
even the negroes of the South? 

Do you think your father could smile down from heaven 
and be glad when he saw you carry your tribute to your 
master in the product of your labor? Do you think your 
dear old mother could thank her God that her boy was free, 
if she had seen you swallow that dope and then hear you talk 
to young men and boys of that glorious freedom you enjoy? 

Here is a little poem which hints at what generally 
follows after the agent of the Whiskey Trust finishes his 
argument for foisting the saloon upon the people, and this 
verse also suggests an appropriate toast for them to repeat 
over their bowl of beer or glass of whiskey : 

Here is to old glory, 

The flag that makes us free! 
We'll drink some good old rye 

For it fills us fools with glee 
Though our pockets they are empty, 

And we have not got a sou; 
But the day before election, 

The saloon will pull us through. 

For two years past and gone 

We have worked to pay the tax; 

Though our children have no clothes, 
And we've no coats upon our backs ; 

Yet we are loyal sons 

And our money we have spent — 



138 Joseph yead; or 

The saloon man got it all — 
Every devilish, dirty cent. 

Kerens to Comrade Jones, 

Who is broken, old and gray! 
He ns' to drink here with lis boys, 

But he will soon go hence to stay; 
His old wife takes in washing, 

She has to because she's poor, 
She has an awful struggle now 

To keep starvation from her door. 

So here's to our liberty, boys, 

Let's all give Freedom's yell! 
For we will all pay our part, 

Though our family sinks in poverty 

For the man who owns the goods 

Must have his auto-vans, 
So we must pay the taxes 

Upon his house and lands. 

Now let us return to the language of the text. 

This prophet says he was commanded to make his vision 
plain, and he says further that it was sure to come to pass. 
He was to make the vision so plain "that he may run that 
readeth it." If we will read verse 5 we will see the prophet 
did as he was directed, and did indeed make it plain "so that 
he may run that readeth it" and "a wayfaring man though 
a fool need not err therein." For here is what the prophet 
says: "Yes, also because he transgresseth by wine, he is a 
proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire 
as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth 
unto him all Nations, and heapeth to him all people" Now 
let us analyze the verse and see how well the prophet de- 
scribed the Head of the Beast that we have under considera- 
tion, which is plainly the Whiskey Head, for Habakkuk says : 

"He transgresseth by wine" which is true. The prophet 
did not say whiskey because all liquors were called wine in 
the days of the prophet. 

"He is proud" So is the whiskey dealer proud, as the 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 139 

Devil is proud when he walks up and down the earth seeking 
whom he may devour. The whiskey dealer is proud of his 
wealth and power. He wears diamonds, dresses his family 
in fine raiment, and supports the finest horses and carriages. 
So he is proud of that. His money and his business give 
him more power than all the churches combined when it 
comes to controlling politics. He boasts and lies of the 
wealth that the city draws from his hoard of ill-gotten gains. 
He is made doubly proud when the political candidate seeks 
his aid and bows to his dictations and with pomp and self- 
exultation he points his finger at the would-be-honest officer 
of the law and says: "Who placed you in that office?" and 
again, ''Who can and will put you out of business next elec- 
tion? You know who will do it if you make us any 'trou- 
ble/ If you do not allow us to break the law we will see 
to it that some one is in your place that will." I need not 
say more about the devilish pride the whiskey man has of his 
power, for all have witnessed it for themselves. 

"His soul is not upright within him!' Ah, men and 
brethren, what a picture! Can a man engage in a business 
that ruins the lives of men, women and children and have 
a soul at all, much less an upright one ? Can he ! Can he ! ! 
How can a man sell whiskey to a poor, weak-minded man 
who is already blear-eyed, staggering drunk when he knows 
the added drink will only intensify the disease and make his 
awful condition worse? How can a man with a conscience 
or a soul do it? 

I ask again, How can a man with an upright soul add 
more fuel to that awful fire that is burning out the stomachs 
and minds of his fellowmen just for one little dime or nickel, 
that he can add to his profits? The prophet has given the 
most perfect description, "For his soul is not upright within 
him." 

"Neither Tceepeth at home! 3 Does the Whiskey Head 
of this accursed Beast keep his despoiling product at home? 
No, not he, for he does just what the prophet says he does, 
for: "He enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and 
cannot be satisfied." 

Oh, friends, in the name of all good, hearken unto the 



140 Joseph yead; or 

burning words of God in this description. Are not the effects 
of strong drink likened unto death? And can the whiskey 
men be satisfied? 

Let us now read the closing description as it corner 
from the pen of the prophet, for it reads, "He gather eth unto 
him all nations and heapeth unto him all people/' And thus 
the verse is closed. Can I add anything to the picture? Can 
I use any stronger words than the Word of God has done? 
No, a thousand times No. Language has lost its cunning to 
frame or pronounce one word more that would add to the 
weight of these wonderful words of wisdom and truth. Yea, 
more, it passeth the wisdom of man to preach such a sermon 
as is preached in that one verse. 

I will claim your indulgence for but a little while longer, 
and then I will close. We read in the Word (see Eev. 17, v. 
11) that the Beast that was and is not goeth into perdi- 
tion. Can a Beast with no soul or human feeling be pun- 
ished, except through its human members, who can feel re- 
morse? If so, then of what avail is the condemnation? Nay, 
my friends, all must be judged according to the deeds done 
in the body. So saith the Word. I can see no hope for a man 
who either takes life by the dagger, or the one who, for a 
few pieces of silver, betrays and destroys the homes and the 
happiness of women and children, and hands forth the broth 
of hell to his fellowman, that leads him on and on to his 
doom, both in this life and the life to come. 

There may be hope for the poor demented drunkard 
who commits the awful crime. But I see none for the man 
who strikes his fellowman down in cold blood, even after I 
hear the best argument in favor of death-bed repentance, 
for there is one sin excepted by the Word, which is the sin 
against the Holy Ghost. 

Do what I may I cannot help but see a picture of what 
seems to me is that sin. 

I see in the distance a village surrounded with farm* 
and homes of the honest yeomanry. I see a boy, who is the 
son of a widow, earning his bread as a farm-hand and assist- 
ing his widowed mother to care for the children who are yet 
too young to do a part. 



THE STORY OF THE BEAST. 141 

I see that boy attending the common school in winter 
when work on the farm is over. I follow the life of that 
boy to manhood and see him rise from a farm-hand to a 
successful man of wealth. He loves his wife and children, 
he gives of his wealth to the poor, and he is known as the 
friend of the widow and the advisor of the orphan. 

I see this man now returning to his home in the late 
evening, after going to the home of the coal-dealer, where 
he aroused the teamster, and, with extra reward, induced 
him to deliver coal at the home of a widow who was in need. 

As this brave man walked up a dark street with a light 
heart, because he had sent relief to the widow and orphans 
in distress, I see a dark form spring from an alley, and I 
see the gleam of a dagger as it descends and is plunged to 
the hilt in the breast of this friend of the oppressed, and 
thus he is hurled into eternity without warning. 

Behold! the body is discovered and bears evidence of 
murder and robbery. I see the murderer fleeing in the dark- 
ness, but he is detected and taken into custody by an officer. 
He is searched and the watch and other valuables of his 
victim are found on his person. 

He is tried and found guilty, and the day of execution 
is fixed. He makes confession, and gives his history, in 
which he describes a happy childhood home and a moral 
training. He describes his wish to get money without work. 
He becomes a house-breaker, a saloon-keeper and a highway- 
man. He consorted with knaves and lewd women, and then 
committed several murders, and to escape the punishment for 
his crime he planned to cast suspicion on someone else who 
was innocent, but was made to expiate his crime. 

I see the murderer ascending the scaffold, I hear his 
words as he professes religion and repentance, and I turn 
away to escape from that awful scene. And, lo! when I 
again turn my face that way the scene is changed and in its 
place I see a moving picture. 

There is a broad footmen's road, on one side of which 
is a brooklet winding its way on to the sea. On the other 
there are many wild flowers casting their sweet perfume to 
the morning breeze. There are people, both old and young, 



I IV IU8KIM1 \ iu« . OK 

pan thii road . \n Kioh Leadi do^ n the inoline to 

.t pl.uv w 1um»- .i pl.ink i • •|.iiiniii" .1 ••wil ,i!m I :i( tho loot 

Dhe n.uih' ol thii plank i8 v\\r ( Iroaaing ol 

t y>l ■ ■,■: . \\\\\$ 

OlJ the opp»V.lh« mJo ot (!'. >\ I .1 till U>\\ p.ilh 

up Uie in an to i v im an the • umrail 

i pilgrim ailing the mountain bo 

•, : i u ,".!,, nn v .:i do no! no I6ha1 waj 
[ »ee A yo • v \\u\ \ irtuo \\w mi 

m :•• ii*h face ' s ii^ ■ >c i food 

HNM1, NX IhM MS titO 

cv( the $rl I &e ohild of oighteen lumxn 

l h and f'i.-u ( mi n .• &v hut, nn hon uoar 

the i wail u( i into 

the ) w *■ 'AMi the inothw . w I 

not feno\y ohildi croeaee the plank and travel 

cw w.i\ up and on to the \m 

I j 
I MM vli the plank 11 I 

up \\ I ftov ^ v ho \\i\* 

\ww while in the •■ 

iio\ : | il rom tcp upon the I plank, and 

i hen (ho other tide " 

plaining e w * ; . pl\m into the dark" 

■\\ end w ith me - I 
human form at) 
nv in lus h 

dripping human ble ope on ins &« 

q black mart Cain upon his soul. No, no, I i 
not -,v i i and if i am wrong, maj God help 

univivf Vmen I M ••-■ praj 

viv \s littlo motv to toll. 

\ tm the W "■••••- j tho nuvl 

\ wo vt5 tovl in tho sottlomom foi 
< (ho S,\ ,-. y o > 

v fen we vonmuv home of Hi v*>ad 

1 . muiI then 



Q 



ill 

We fount] iiim (I 

f .: Mr, Y* 

1 1 j J 
to I 

I/. 

of b I n.f>i)w<'/\ at the (hfpoy il 

J)*?nv< 

Here I nu n%rwA 

\/> ytili UK: J/; *ill 

Dg blowing* i/t all mankind that eMSH '1* 



TJfit 




N C 






. ■*>. .(V « l ' ' ♦ ^i .40 ; i> N '■ „ <* 




N/> ^ 












*£. 














V'-V\«v.,V 



n° -n*. ' * 




0' < 









'W" 















.« '■^.'«- V ^ i ** s .\o*.« v ' 1 *-*^- 



*"» .<N 









x° -V 



■ o' 










.^ - ^- 



F » <$■ % 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS • 

027 273 529 3, 



n 

lis 



